


High Fantastical

by stonegirl77



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Classical Music, Eventual Romance, F/M, Love, Music, Recovery, Slow Build, Starting Over, cast of thousands, romantic betrayal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-12-16
Packaged: 2018-03-10 05:04:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 82
Words: 115,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3277751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stonegirl77/pseuds/stonegirl77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Eve Bates moves to New York City, she wants to start over. So how did she end up with a new roommate with issues of his own?<br/>It's all Captain America's fault. Or Tony Stark's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an un-beta'd fic, so all mistakes are mine. 
> 
> I've loved writing this story, so I hope you enjoy.  
> As always, all Marvel characters belong to Marvel. Eve's mine.

“Good afternoon, Miss Bates,” the AI told me as I entered the lift. The elevator, I reminded myself. “Welcome back.”

“Hello JARVIS,” I replied. “It’s lovely to speak to you again.”

“Sir requested you join him in the common room.” The elevator shot upwards without my pressing a single button - the benefits of being in Stark - no, Avengers - Tower. 

“Anything I should know?” I asked warily. I’d been on the end of my uncle’s pranks often enough to be cautious.

“I do not believe Sir is planning any tricks today,” JARVIS told me. “Miss Potts is also present.”

“Oh, good,” I sighed, and grinned, double-checking my appearance in the reflective walls of the lift. I looked as I ever had. My almost-blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, my lipstick was still red, still not escaping from its liner. My skirt was a little creased, but there was nothing to be done about that, even as I smoothed it over my hips to get the worst folds out. As I finished my primping, the lift stopped, and I walked out of the opening doors.

I walked the few feet out of the corridor and stood in the doorway, looking around. For the minute, no one noticed me. The people in the room were all arguing about something, so I took the moment to look them all over. There were Uncle Tony and Aunt Pepper on the couch, arguing with a behemoth of a man with blond hair and a too-tight shirt. From the bar, a lovely woman with red hair watched all of the commotion, and as I watched her, she spotted me, but made no move to stop the argument, so I just gave her a polite smile and moved on. I thought I could see someone outside, possibly wearing black, but I wasn’t sure. 

Then the blond man shifted, and I could see two other people, Agent Hill, whom I recognised, and an African American man built on the same lines as the blond one, just a size or two smaller. I took a step into the room, and Pepper looked over.

“Eve!” she called, standing up. I never knew how she managed to be so graceful in 4-inch Louboutins, but she managed. She came over, towing Tony with her. “How are you?” She gave me a hug, which I returned. 

“I’m fine, Aunt Pepper. You?” She didn’t answer, just moved back so I could hug my uncle. 

I was of the firm opinion that Tony Stark gave the best hugs in the entire world. Big bear hugs that made you feel almost smothered and completely protected. When he let me go, the argument had finally stopped.

“Hey kiddo,” he said, eyes twinkling at me. “How’s it going? Handling New York ok?”

I smiled. “I’m fine, thanks. And of course I’m handling New York fine,” I continued, giving him a little shove. “I lived in London for years. Are you trying to imply that I’m incapable of surviving New York without help?” I arched an eyebrow.

“Never,” he kidded right back, drawing out the last syllable. “Now,” he said, putting an arm around my shoulder and turning me to face the rest of the company. “I don’t think you’ve met most of the crew.”

“Steve,” he gestured to the large blond man. “This is Eve Bates. Her parents were friends of mine.” The man moved forward, smiling. He seemed friendly now, and had a wonderful smile. “Eve, meet Captain Steve Rogers.” Captain America, then, I realised. 

“Captain,” I said, extending a hand. “A pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” he said, shaking my hand, thankfully without crushing it. 

“And this is Sam Wilson,” Tony continued, moving on to the African-American man who’d followed Steve to us. 

“Mr. Wilson,” 

“Call me Sam,” he said, smiling. They all had wonderful grins, and weren’t shy about using them. Perhaps it was an American thing?

“Sam,” I replied, smiling back. “Nice to meet you.”

“Agent Hill you know,” Tony continued. We nodded at each other, knowing we’d have time to catch up later. “The redhead at the bar is Natasha Romanov, and I think Hawkass is out on the balcony, being antisocial.” He looked out the window, and indeed, there was a man on the balcony. 

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said to the woman, who’d come over to greet me. 

“We’ve heard a lot about you,” she replied, making me blush. 

“Oh dear.” I motioned towards the man, whose name couldn’t possibly be Hawkass. As I’d just met the bulk of the Avengers, I knew who the other man must be. “And give my regards to Agent Barton, please, if he doesn’t feel like joining us.” I said it without any rancour. I completely understood people wanting to avoid my uncle.

Agent Romanov flashed me a smile, apparently impressed I’d made the connection. I personally thought I’d need to be an idiot not to. Hawkass, honestly. “I’ll tell him.” She moved me towards the others at the couches. “Now, I think there might be an underlying motive to Tony asking you here.”

“Oh?” I asked, arching an eyebrow once again at my uncle, who was now once more ensconced on the couch, Pepper lounging next to him.

“I still don’t think this is a great idea,” he said, and my eyebrow went further up. “And I have a track record for crazy ideas.” I sat down next to Pepper, and Agent Romanov perched on the arm of Captain America’s chair. I had a brief moment of unreality - I was sitting with the Avengers - it was completely bizarre.

“At least let me ask her,” the Captain told Tony, who leaned forward.

“She’s not actually like me, Stars and Stripes,” he retorted. “Her parents actually raised her with a conscience. You ask her this, of course she’s going to say yes.”

“She doesn’t have to,” Cp. Rogers responded just as hotly. Then, as if realising his temper wasn’t helping his case, he sat back and looked at me. I stared right back. 

“You wanted to ask me something?” I asked lightly. 

“I did, as a matter of fact,” he said. “And, as I just told Tony, you are completely free to say no. We won’t think worse of you.”

“You will,” I thought at Captain America. “You’ll just be too polite to say so.”

He seemed to be waiting for me to say something. “I understand. Your question?”

Instead of saying anything, Captain Rogers pulled a folder from the coffee table, earning him a strangled yelp from Tony, who quieted when Pepper put a hand on his arm. I accepted the folder, braced. Tony, for all his faults, did have my best interests at heart, most of the time.

The folder was a manilla affair, with striped tape along the fold. On the front was a logo, with writing around it. 

“Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division,” I read. 

“SHIELD,” Maria supplied. Of course. 

“I’m ok to be seeing this?” I asked. The tape was lurid. I could only imagine it was highly classified. 

“On my authority,” Captain Rogers replied. “You’re fine.” So I opened the folder.

The folder was thick with paper. The first page was what looked like an old US Army entrance form, probably from World War II. James Buchanan Barnes, it read, and alongside the name, a photo. Mr. Barnes was handsome, I thought, with his dark hair and the obvious twinkle in his eye, even in the photo. I flipped to the next page. If Captain Rogers wanted me to actually read the entire file, he wouldn’t just have handed it to me. So I scanned.

The next few pages were photos, after action reports, all from the second World War. I was starting to remember Tony talking about Captain America searching for an old friend from the Army.

Then the content changed. I must have missed a page or two, because the next was a death certificate. And pictures. And then another. And another. All assassinations. Carried out by whom? I scanned the report on the next killing. Some chap called the Winter Soldier, apparently. 

I flipped through scenes splashed with blood, remarkably unaffected. Perhaps I was just compartmentalising, telling myself that this couldn’t possibly be real, even though I knew it was. By this time, Tony was arguing with Captain Rogers again. I paid them no mind.

Another few pages, and there was finally a picture of the assassin. Blurry, but I thought he looked familiar. Flipping further, the glimpses of the man grew clearer. I was reaching the end when I made the connection between the two halves of the file. 

I flipped to one of the last photos, obviously a modern one, taken somewhere in the States. Don’t ask me how I was so certain. Buildings in the States simply have a certain look. In this photo was the Winter Soldier, without his mask. I could see one of his arms was covered in what looked like metal, and I peered closer. 

No, it wasn’t covered in metal. It looked to be metal. Strange. On the other hand, Tony worked with a Norse God. There were stranger things. 

Then I looked at the assassin’s face. It looked a little older than the first picture, but - I flipped back - it was unmistakably the same person. Or his twin. 

“Why am I looking at this?” I asked, flipping the folder closed. Steve and Tony stopped their bickering. “Why do you want me to know about your friend?” Because I’d seen the picture in the file, the one with Sgt. Barnes and Captain Rogers, arms slung about one another, and connected it with Tony’s stories about Captain America’s friend, the one that ‘went psycho and started killing people.’

Captain Rogers turned to look at me. “They took him.” He swallowed. “Hydra took him back in the war, and I never knew. I thought he was dead, and they tortured him. They gave him that arm, they brainwashed him. They used him to kill people. 

“When I saw him in DC - you know about what happened to SHIELD, right?” I nodded. How could I not? It had been all over the news. “Well, he didn’t even know who I was. He tried to kill me at first.” Tony started to say something, but this time I held up a hand. I wanted to hear this. “But at the end, I know he recognised me.” Captain Rogers leaned forward, blue eyes boring into mine. “I _know_ he did, Miss Bates, because he saved my life after the battle at the Treskellion.”

“All right,” I said. “I accept that you believe he recognised you. But I’m still confused. What does all this have to do with me?”

“Steve found Bucky,” Tony said, finally saying something of use. “He found the mad assassin, Eve, and now they want you to play babysitter.”

“Bucky…” Rogers said. “He doesn’t quite know what’s going on. When he regained his own will, he lost a lot of memory. A lot of skills, we think, as well as actual memories.” Rogers made a face. “Not that the memory loss is a bad thing, probably.”

“And you want me because?” I asked, then started to answer my own question. “Because I’m not part of SHIELD. I’m not part of the Avengers. But I’m still trustworthy, without question.” I grinned at Tony. “I do appreciate the vote of confidence, Uncle.”

“I wish I’d told them I trust you as far as Dummy could throw you,” he grumbled, but smiled back. 

“And Pepper must have told you that I have a maternal bone or two,” I said, shooting a glare at my aunt. “Not many people know that.” Not that I let anyone see it. Not anymore.

“And you’re new in New York. Not many people know you. You can settle in with Barnes and no one would know it wasn’t normal.” That was Agent Romanov.

“It’s a big city, Agent Romanov.” I told her. “I’m sure no one would even notice in London if I started living with an assassin.”

“Former assassin.” That was Rogers.

“Former assassin.” Fine.

“So you’ll do it?” the Captain asked, hope on his face. 

“I didn’t say that,” I demurred, thinking. Tony had been right, after all. I’d have trouble saying no to this one. “I’d like to meet him, before I agree to anything.”

“That can be arranged,” Rogers said. “Do you want to go now?” He stood.

Tony stood as well. “Are you insane?” he asked. “You really want him to meet her?”

“Actually,” I said drily, standing as well. “He wants me to take care of Sgt. Barnes. I think the meeting is the least of his worries.” Captain Rogers chuckled. 

“She’s got a point, Tony.”

He huffed. Tony wasn’t used to being out manoeuvred. It was fairly funny. But this wasn’t a time I could hide behind Tony’s caution, I somehow knew. I had to at least meet Sargent Barnes, or the Winter Soldier, or whoever he was, before I made my decision. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve meets Barnes.

So Captain Rogers, Agent Hill, Tony, and, to my surprise, Agent Romanov, led me out of the well-appointed lounge and into the lift once more.

“A word of advice,” Agent Romanov told me. I looked at her - she was an inch or so shorter than I was, and in flats, so I was looking down, which was somewhat bizarre. She was so confident in herself, by rights she should have been as tall as Pepper. “Just be yourself. And don’t lie to Barnes. He’ll know.” 

“Thank you,” I said. She gave me a smile.

“You’re taking this all very calmly,” she said. 

“I usually do all right in stressful situations,” I said.

“You consider this a stressful situation?” Her eyebrows lifted.

I couldn’t help but grin at her. “I’ve just been told the story of a soldier who was brainwashed into being an assassin, and seen the pictures. And now I’m meeting him. I think this qualifies.” She considered that. I went on. “Not everyone deals with this on a regular basis, Agent Romanov.”

She grinned at me. “Now I know why Tony speaks so highly of you. And it’s Natasha. We’ll be seeing quite a bit of each other, assuming you agree to take care of Barnes.”

That was an opportunity, and I wasn’t about to let it go to waste. I smiled at Natasha, then elbowed Tony. “You speak highly of me?”

“Only under extreme duress.” He shot back.

“Which is how many bottles of scotch, exactly?”

“Oh, three or so,” he joked as the elevator stopped. We were below ground by this time. 

“Only three?” I said, continuing the sparring in spite of my nerves, which had suddenly emerged full-force. I took a few deep breaths, trying to control my pulse. Of course Captain Rogers noticed.

“I was serious about your being able to say no,” he said, speaking quietly so Tony didn’t overhear as we moved down the corridor. “Anytime you want out, you’re out. No questions asked.”

He was sincere, I could tell. No guile there, no lies. He wanted his friend back, that was certain. But he wasn’t going to force me into helping. Perhaps he just knew that would be counterproductive. 

“I’m fine, Captain,” I assured him. “Trust me, I’ll let you know if it gets too much.”

“All right.”He smiled. “And call me Steve.”

“I can do that.” We continued walking, catching up with Maria, Tony, and Natasha, who were waiting at a doorway. My pulse started to hammer again. 

“He’s in there.” That was Steve. “I’ll come in with you, make the introductions. You’ll be safe.”

Tony gave me a hug. “You sure you want to do this, kid?” He looked actually worried, and my stomach lurched. If Tony thought what I was doing was dangerous… 

“I’ll be fine,” I said, hugging back. “I’ve got the Defender of the Stars and Stripes with me. He’ll keep me safe.” Tony forced a smile. 

“He’d better.”

“Shall we?” I asked, squaring my shoulders and taking one last deep breath. I pushed my jittery pulse and the knot in my stomach out of my thoughts. They were unimportant.

Steve put his palm on the pad next to the door, then swung open the door. 

 

“Hi Bucky,” he said, bulk obstructing my view of the room. “I brought a visitor.” Then Steve stepped aside, and I could see.

The man I assumed to be Sargent Barnes was sitting on a cot in the white room, a curtain of hair obscuring his face. The room had been made to feel a little less sterile, by Steve, I assumed, with a few prints on the walls, an afghan on the bed, and a photo of himself and Barnes on the bedside table. I thought the last was a tad presumptuous, but it wasn’t my place to judge. 

I stepped forward. I wasn’t sure what to call the man in front of me, so I guessed. ‘Just be myself.’ “Sargent Barnes?” I asked, and his head snapped up suddenly, eyes meeting mine. Yes, this certainly was the man whose file I’d perused a short while previously. But he moved so quickly, and the look in his eyes was unnerving. It looked like he was in two minds - either he was going to kill me, or he was afraid I would kill him. Poor man.

“I’m Eve Bates,” I said, extending a hand for him to shake. I felt Steve tense next to me as I put out my hand, but I didn’t let myself react to that. Barnes didn’t seem to notice my hand, outstretched, in front of him. He just kept looking at me. 

“Do I know you?” he asked in a whisper. My heart broke a little as I heard that voice. It spoke of far too many hurts, far too many screams. I took my hand back. 

“No,” I said, smiling down at the man, who looked almost gaunt, even with his impressive build. “No, we haven’t met before.”

“Oh.” His breath left him all at once. “Good.” He looked down at the hands he had clasped together in front of him. Impulsively, I started to kneel down so I’d be level with him. I had issues with my skirt, though, and almost toppled forward onto the bed. A metal hand caught my shoulder, hard, and it stopped me from falling. 

“Thank you,” I told Barnes as I regained my balance. I was still shocked at how fast he had moved - it was superhuman, literally. He took his hand off my shoulder once I was settled.

“Don’t mention it,” he said, and I thought I saw a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. I took a breath, knowing I was probably being an idiot, and that Tony was going to kill me.

“Sargent Barnes?” I asked, and he looked up at me again. “Your friend, Steve here, had an idea.” Barnes glanced at Steve, then back at me. “He asked me if it’d be all right if you moved in with me, so that you can get out of here.” Barnes just looked at me. “But I don’t think anyone’s asked you if you want to move in with me at all?” I chuckled. “After all, we barely know each other. And I play the violin. Which means my roommate should not be faint of heart.” 

Another slight smile. “I don’t mind the violin,” he said, still softly. 

“Listen to me play before you say that,” I joked. 

Steve broke in. “So you do want to get out of here, Bucky? You want to move in with Eve?”

I saw something flash in Barnes’ eyes when he heard the nickname, but his voice sounded stronger when he spoke with Steve. “Punk.” I giggled. It sounded so strange, the insult-endearment coming from such a quiet man. Barnes glanced at me, then looked at his friend. “When can we leave?”

I broke in. “I actually just moved here, Sargent,” I said. His gaze flashed to me again, face unreadable. “I don’t have a place yet, but I’m looking.” His jaw clenched. He thought I was lying. I stood. “I’m not lying to you, Sargent Barnes. I’d be happy to be roommates, as soon as I find a place. Would you like to help look?” Steve shot me a glance. “Internet, Steve,” I reminded him. I looked back at Barnes. “I have no interest in forcing you into anything, Sargent. If you want to share a place with me, let me know, and we’ll sort something out so you can have some input in your own space. Otherwise, it was nice to meet you.” I started to turn, and, in the lighting-fast way that seemed to be the only way he moved, Bucky stood and put a hand on my arm, the flesh-and-blood one, this time.

“I’d,” He started, then stopped. I waited for him to start again. “If you really want to be roommates,” the modern word sounded a little stilted on his tongue, “then I’m game, Miss Bates.”

I smiled, turning back. “Very well, then.” I looked at the ceiling. “Hey, JARVIS, you in here?” I asked.

“I am here, Miss Bates.” I wasn’t prepared for Barnes’ response. Barnes shoved me on the bed and stood over it, looking for the source of the voice. I banged my head on the headboard and closed my eyes. I was berating myself as I tried to stand again. Of course JARVIS would startle Barnes. He wasn’t exactly 1940’s friendly. 

Steve had his hands on Barnes’ shoulders as I looked up again, talking to the man. I put a hand on the bed and levered up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. Barnes turned, hearing my movement, taking Steve with him. 

“I’m fine, Sargent,” I said, rubbing my head. “Help me up?” I put out my hands, and Steve let Barnes go so he could help me to my feet. I could tell Barnes wasn’t exactly exerting himself to help me up, but he did so ably, pulling on my hands until I stood again. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I should have warned you.” He tilted his head. “The voice you heard? That was JARVIS. He’s an AI, a computer, a really powerful one, an artificial intelligence that my uncle built. He’s a friend of mine.” 

That last sentence brought that same half-smile to Barnes’ face. “You’re friends with a computer?” 

“A really smart computer,” I said. “Would you like to meet him?” Barnes nodded. I realised he hadn’t let go of my hands yet. I didn’t mind. 

“Sargent Barnes, I’d like you to meet Just A Rather Very Intelligent System, or JARVIS. JARVIS, meet Sargent Barnes.”

“Hello, Sargent Barnes,” JARVIS said, voice filtering through the speakers. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Hi,” Barnes said, hands tightening around mine. I squeezed back reassuringly. “Nice to meet you too.”

“Now,” I said, trying to get the conversation moving again. “Where were we?”

“I think you were going to ask JARVIS for something,” Steve said. I’d almost forgotten he was here, and I looked at him behind Barnes’ shoulder. He had the most unusual expression on his face. It was amusement, and surprise, and, resignation?

I found my train of thought once more. “JARVIS?” I asked. “We can get Sargent Barnes a tablet, right? And real estate listings and things?”

“Of course, Miss Bates.”

“Thanks.” I turned back to Barnes. “I’ll be living here until I get a place anyway. If you find a place you like, ask JARVIS to find me.” Barnes looked a little blank. I looked at Steve. “Can he leave this room?” I asked.

“We haven’t talked about it.” His face was grim. I frowned. 

“That’s not good.” I looked at Barnes again, who was looking back at me. “Would you like to get out of this room? I can’t promise you can leave the building, but at least you might be able to see real daylight.” I scowled properly now. “JARVIS, remind me to yell at Tony for this. No daylight is cruel and unusual.”

“It was not his decision,” JARVIS replied. “I believe Agent Hill also selected the Sargent’s room.”

“But Tony had something to do with it, right?” I asked. JARVIS didn’t say anything. I knew it. I looked back at Barnes. “Would you like to leave?”

Barnes actually smiled. It brightened his whole face, and I found myself smiling automatically in response. “Just show me the way,” he said. 

“In that case,” I said, looking at Steve, “tell Tony he’s going to have to find a place for Sargent Barnes when he finds a place for me upstairs.” I sat on the bed. Steve and Barnes just stood there, motionless. “Go on,” I told Steve. “Get moving. Tell him it can be in my place, or yours, or a place of Sargent Barnes’ own. But he deserves more than this little room.” Steve went to the door, opening it and leaning out.

“Heard that, Tony?” he asked, lower half still visible. I heard a mumble. Tony would give in, eventually.

“If that’s what you want, of course,” I told Barnes, who was still standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. “I can tend to get a bit forthright.” I stood up again. This was important - I wanted to help him, but I didn’t want to steam-roller him. “If I do something that you’re not comfortable with, please tell me. Tell me if I do something that makes you uncomfortable, if I make a decision you’re not happy with. This is your life. You get to make as many of the decisions in it as you want.”

Barnes stood silent for a moment, then nodded. “I promise, Miss Bates.”

“My name is Eve,” I told him. I got another smile. 

“Eve,” he repeated.

“Now,” I said, “another choice for you. If you move upstairs, where would you rather live - with me or with Steve? I don’t think you’ll get an entire flat to yourself, unfortunately.” Steve heard that last part.

“Yeah, I’m not sure that’s a great idea.” He pulled up a chair and sat, motioning for Bucky to sit on the bed next to me. “And Tony says, and I quote, ‘Tell the all-powerful Eve that yes, Inspector Gadget can have an apartment upstairs. And a kitten. And a pony. And a bottle of my best scotch.’” I smiled. 

“So, Sargent Barnes? Do you have a preference?” He was looking at the floor again and his hair hid his expression. He was silent. “You can always say you don’t, you know,” I said, a bit more quietly. 

He turned his head to look at me. “I guess a dry run is a good idea,” he said, and actually smirked at me. Steve laughed. 

“That’s our Bucky,” he chortled. 

“Very well,” I said, smiling myself. “JARVIS, let Tony know I’ll need a two-bedroom flat somewhere in the Tower.”

“I shall allocate one immediately,” JARVIS said. 

“Thank you, JARVIS,” Barnes replied. I looked at him. That had sounded almost normal. 

“Time estimate getting the place ready?” I asked the AI. 

“It should be ready for habitation tomorrow afternoon,” he said smoothly, as my phone beeped at me. I pulled it out of my skirt pocket. It was my alarm, reminding me I needed to get ready to get to rehearsal.

Barnes was looking at my phone curiously. “It’s my cellphone,” I told him. No reaction. “I can explain later, if you want. Or Steve can. Or JARVIS can.” I stood. “But now I need to go. I have a rehearsal I need to get to.” Barnes stood with me, expression blank again. I really didn’t like that expression. “I can come back afterwards, if you like,” I said, and he nodded. “We’ll watch a movie, or something.” Barnes held out his hand, and I took it. We shook.

“I’ll see you soon, Sargent,” I said. “Promise.”

“I’ll stay with him, Eve,” Steve said as I moved to the door. “And thanks.”

“Not doing it for you, Steve,” I carolled as I headed out the door. Then I stuck my head around the doorjamb again. 

“Goodbye, Sargent.”

“Goodbye, Eve.” I got one of those small smiles before his face retreated into the mask. I’d take what I could get.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the cast begins to grow - we get to see what Eve does for a living.

N.B. I don’t have any idea about New York, nor any of the churches therein. I’m making it all up as I go along.

 

“You’re doing it, then,” Tony said as I hurried along the corridor to the elevator. 

“Yup.” I walked into the car, Tony and Natasha at my heels. 

“Barnes seems to like her,” Natasha commented as the lift sped upwards. “I don’t think he’ll hurt her.”

“Not helping, Romanov,” Tony snapped. I elbowed him, annoyed. 

“I can make my own decisions, Tony,” I told him firmly. “I saw all those pictures, remember? I know what he’s capable of. He had all sorts of opportunities to hurt me in there. He took precisely none of them. Quit bitching. It’s done.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he grumbled. “I don’t know why I ever introduced you to Pepper.”

“Because you love us?” I said, grinning cheesily up at him. 

“Maybe,” he said, but he gave me a hug anyway. “Just be careful, ok?”

“You got it,” I said, as the lift opened and I hurried out. I was on Tony and Pepper’s level, where I’d dropped off my stuff earlier that day. I grabbed my violin case, my bag, and a coat, and went back to the elevator. 

“So, where to today?” Tony asked as I shrugged on my coat, violin case propped up carefully in a corner of the elevator. 

“A church somewhere on the Upper East Side,” I said. “They have some chamber music thing there - I’m playing with my quartet.”

“You gave the details to Pepper, right?” I nodded. “Then we’ll be there.” I grinned. I loved having family in the audience when I performed. It was the best. “And Happy’s driving you?” I nodded again.

“Thanks for that, by the way,” I said. “Normally I can use the subway, but today, what with the jetlag,” I’d stepped off the plane the previous evening, completely punch drunk, “and the rush..”

“Not a problem.” Tony said as the lift opened for the third time. “Have fun, kiddo.”

“You too, Tony,” I called back as the lift closed. “Try not to destroy anything while I’m gone.”

I saw the car as soon as I stepped outside, and gave the familiar figure standing next to it a wave. “Hi Happy.”

“Miss Eve,” he said, opening the door for me. “How are you?”

I considered the question as I waited for him to go around the car and open his own door. “I’m good, I think. I’m getting a new roommate.”

“Nice girl?”

“Guy,” I corrected. “And I’m not sure nice is the correct adjective.” We pulled out and Happy weaved expertly through the New York traffic. 

“Well, I wish you luck.”

“Thanks, Happy.” I sat back and watched the buildings flash by as we drove. I was struck by the unfamiliarity of the city - it was very different from the London I knew and loved. Everything was so much bigger here. Even the lanes that the cars drove in were bigger. ‘You just had a conversation with a brainwashed assassin,’ I told myself firmly. ‘You can live in New York. No problem.’

I thought back to the man in the small room, wondering how he was doing. How could they have kept him in that little room? It was practically inhumane. Perhaps they were trying to punish him for his crimes? That didn’t make any sense either. As far as I’d been able to understand, all of Barnes’ crimes had been committed while under control. Thus, he wasn’t culpable for them. At least, not in my eyes. And he knew what he’d done was wrong. That was obvious from one look at him. No need to torture him any more than he was torturing himself.

I kept pondering Barnes’ situation as we drove through Manhattan, not really noticing the buildings at all. I didn’t notice we were at the church until Happy stopped the car. “We’re here, Miss Eve.”

“Thanks, Happy,” I said. “I really appreciate the ride.”

“No problem,” he replied, and I opened the door, really getting my first look at the church as I exited the car. It was enormous, almost three stories tall with a peaked roof and a lovely rose window. I walked up the stairs, checking the time on my phone as I went. There was a text from an unknown number I’d missed.

**Thanks again. I can hardly believe how normal Bucky seemed today. - Steve.** I frowned a little. I did think that Steve might need to get used to the idea that Barnes might never be the person Steve once knew. 

**Don’t mention it.** I typed. Then I had another thought, and started a new text to JARVIS.

**J, could you make sure I have the correct movie-watching equipment in Barnes’ room for when I get back? And access to my movie collection? Thanks.**

Immediately, I got a response. **It will be there when you return.**

**You’re the best, J.**

**So you tell me.** I smiled at that. JARVIS was great. I opened the giant door and stepped into my other life. 

 

“Miss Bates? I’m Neville.” A man all in black came up to me as the door shut behind me. “We need you to ok the stage setup, please.”

“All right,” I said. “But we won’t know exactly what we need until we start rehearsing.” The man nodded and led me towards the altar of the church, where a stage had been set up. I trotted up the steps and looked around. The space looked all right - we wouldn’t be falling into the audience. I looked up at the cupola above me and clapped a few times, turning. The acoustics weren’t awful either. And there was plenty of light as well.

“Looks good to me,” I said. “The others arrived yet?”

“You’re the first,” he said. “Oh, and welcome to St. Michael’s.”

“Thank you,” I said, getting off the stage and heading towards a pew to unpack my violin. I put the instrument to my chin and started my quick warmup - a few scales, a few double-stops, just enough to get my fingers warm for the rehearsal. 

As I played, I wandered around the church. It was beautiful, as most churches were, with a vaulted ceiling and lots of stained glass. It was newer than most of the churches I was used to. I loved the high ceilings though. We’d have fun playing in here.

“Eve!” Someone in a white puffer jacket had emerged from the enormous doors. 

“Joanna!” I stopped playing and went to greet the other violinist in the quartet. “You managed to get here!”

“Miles is just lugging the cello up the stairs,” she said, giving me a hug. “You know how he is on planes. He had to take the whale case.” We both rolled our eyes. Miles was paranoid that his cello would get harmed while in an airplane, so, even though the cello sat next to him in the cabin, he insisted on putting it inside the world’s most protected case.

“And Yundu?” I asked, as Miles entered the church, looking around. He waved, and I waved back.

“She should be here soon - said she wanted to do some window shopping this morning, so she left early.” Joanna and I walked up the aisle again. “So,” she said, “everything all right your end? The reunion with your uncle go all right?”

“Yes.” I wasn’t sure how much to say. “It was nice to see him and Pepper again. I’m staying with them until I find a place of my own.”

Joanna’s face fell a bit. “I know why you had to leave,” she said. “But we’ll miss you.”

The smile dropped from my face. “I’ll still be there for you, Miles, and Yundu. You know that, right? I’ll be racking up the frequent flyer miles.”

“And it was a great opportunity for you,” she said, unpacking her instrument next to mine. “I know. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“It’s ok, Jo,” I said, looking down at my violin. “I need to stop being so sensitive.” She just put a hand on my shoulder and moved to the stage. 

 

Yundu arrived a minute later, carrying a Coach bag along with her viola. 

“I thought Jo said you were going window shopping?” I said, stepping into the hug. 

“Well, when something just cries out to me, I find it hard to say no,” Yundu replied, smiling wickedly. “I missed my shopping buddy,” she complained. 

“We’ll go out soon,” I said. “I’ll ask Pepper where to go.”

“Oooh, the illustrious Miss Potts,” Miles said from the stage. “Any chance of us meeting her?”

“I think she and Tony are coming to the concert,” I called loudly enough for him to hear. I know I grinned. It was a bit ridiculous, how much I was looking forward to them coming to hear me play. 

“We’d better make it good, then, huh?” Yundu asked. A few minutes, a rendition of the security officer at La Guardia, and a Monty Python reference-off later, and we finally started rehearsing.

It took us a while to get going - air travel does awful things to instruments, and my pegs were constantly slipping, making me retune again and again. Half an hour in, though, we were finally starting to sound like a group again. I’d already forgotten about my new roommate by the fifth time I had to retune, and I didn’t remember him until Jo mentioned my new flat when we took a break.

“So you’re living alone, then?” she asked, sipping her cooling tea.

“No,” I replied, then stopped. I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t know how much I was free to say. “I think I’m living with a colleague of Tony’s.” That wasn’t exactly a lie, right? With a bit of creative stretching, Barnes could be said to be Tony’s colleague. 

“I thought you’d be living alone,” Jo commented.

“Me too,” I said. “This is kind of a favour.” Jo raised an eyebrow. 

“This colleague - is it a guy or a girl?”

“He’s a man,” I said, waiting for her reply with bated breath. 

She just sighed. “Be careful, Eve. That’s all.”

“I’m always careful.”

“Sure.” And we got up and resumed rehearsal. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, thanks for reading this! The response is slightly overwhelming, so thank you so much! You all are awesome!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and Barnes watch a movie...

“Sargent Barnes?” I said, knocking on the door later that evening. I was carrying a souped-up projector, a couple of papers, a tablet, and a bowl full of popcorn. The door opened, and the popcorn almost spilled. I managed to catch it, though. Barnes just stood in the doorway, the mask back on his face. My smile fell. “Hello Sargent,” I said, gesturing with the electronics in my grip. “I brought movies.” I felt silly. The man hadn’t actually said he wanted to watch movies. I’d just assumed.

Then he took the popcorn from me. “Eve.” I got a half-smile. “Come in.” I found a wall socket and plugged the projector in, setting it on the bedside table, facing a blank wall. I handed the papers and the tablet to Barnes. 

“Here you are.” He took them and looked at them. “Papers for the real estate section. And the news, I suppose. The tablet, also for real estate searching. And internetting.” I wasn’t sure whether he understood the last word. But he’d have to get used to living in the 21st century sooner or later.

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem.” 

“Is Steve coming?” he asked as I was fiddling with the projector again. 

“I didn’t invite him - we can, if you like - just ask JARVIS.” Somehow, I didn’t want Steve there. It felt like he would be intruding. But it was Barnes’ choice. Barnes didn’t say anything. “So,” I said, turning. “Did you want to watch a movie?”

Barnes dropped the newspapers and the tablet on the bed. “Sure.”

“What would you like to watch?”

He didn’t say anything. I continued. “My collection’s pretty broad - and we have access to Tony’s collection too. But that’s mainly action stuff.”

“What do you want to watch?” I thought for a minute. “Do you mind watching something you might have seen?” He shook his head. “There’s this movie, it’s called ‘The Shop Around The Corner’, it came out in 1940. It’s one of my favourites. And it’s short. How about that one?” I got a smirk.

“The Shop Around the Corner, huh?” 

“You’ve seen it before?”

“It’s been a while.” That wasn’t a no to the movie. Or a yes. The guy wasn’t very good at giving me a straight answer. It was as if he positively delighted in making me ask two or three questions instead of just one. He must have read my frustration, because he spoke again. “Let’s watch it. If I don’t like it, we can watch something else, right?” That last was an actual question, not a rhetorical one. 

“Right.” I pulled over the chair Steve had been using earlier to the other side of the projector. “JARVIS? Did you get that?”

“Indeed. Playing ‘The Shop Around The Corner.’” The lights dimmed, and I sat in the chair. Barnes and the popcorn took the bed. The movie started, and it felt normal. It was as if the Sargent and I watched movies like this all the time. He crunched at the popcorn, and my stomach rumbled. I’d forgotten to eat dinner in my rush to get back to Barnes. The popcorn bowl lifted over the projector. 

“Want some?”

“Thanks.” I grabbed the bowl, taking a handful. Corny buttery bliss.

“This is different than I remember.”

“Really?” 

“Picture’s better.” 

“I’m not surprised. JARVIS cleaned up all my old movies a few years ago for Christmas.” I crunched through some more popcorn. We continued like that, commenting every now and again about something in the movie, whether it be the hats, or the actors, passing the popcorn bowl back and forth, until the last scene. By that time, I’d ditched my shoes and had my feet tucked underneath me. 

“Eve?” 

“Mm?”

“Why do you call me Sargent Barnes?” I heard the popcorn bowl rustle. “I mean, back then,” he gestured at the movie, “that’d be normal. I’d be Sargent Barnes, you’d be Miss Bates. Like those two are Mr. Kralek and Miss Novak. But it’s different now, right?”

“It is,” I said. “It’s a lot less formal now, especially in the States. I guess I call you Sargent Barnes because I’m not sure what else to call you.” Silence. “What I mean is, I don’t know you well enough to call you Bucky like Steve does, and I don’t know whether you even go by your proper first name. But I guessed Sargent Barnes wasn’t too objectionable.” More silence. “Would you prefer I call you something different?” I looked over at him when he stayed still. He was sat up, looking at me over the projector. 

“Would you call me James?” I couldn’t identify his expression, not in the dark, but I could tell it wasn’t the mask I already hated.

“Of course.” He gave me a half-smile. 

The movie paused, and the lights went up again. “Miss Bates, Sargent Barnes,” JARVIS said, “I thought you might like to know Captain Rogers is here to visit the Sargent.” I looked at James. It was his call how to handle it. But he wasn’t handling it. I sat up properly.

“Shall we let him in?” I asked. He nodded, the mask dropping down onto his features. I got up and went to the door in stockinged feet. “Hi Steve.”

Steve looked surprised to see me, holding a takeout bag. “Eve,” he looked at Bucky, on the bed, the projector, the moved chair. 

“We were watching a movie,” I said. 

“I bring takeout most nights,” he said at the same time, our words jumbling together. “Whenever I can get away.” I looked back at Bucky, who was sitting up straight now, watching the pair of us talk. 

“Well,” I said, feeling awkward now, wanting to escape. “I guess I’ll leave you two to your dinner then.” I went back inside the room, Steve following. I grabbed my shoes from the floor. “See you tomorrow, James?” He looked at me, no mask this time.

“Sure.” Then his face brightened. “We get to move in tomorrow, right?” That got a grin from me.

“Yeah,” I replied. “Oh, and if you need me for anything, not that I think you will,” I said quickly, wanting to say it, but say it as fast as possible, “just tell JARVIS - he’ll call me for you.”

“Ok.”

I went over, meaning to give him a hug good night, but as I got around the projector, I realised it might not be the best idea. 

“Good night, James,” I said instead, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me. 

“Good night, Eve.”

“See you tomorrow.” And I left, shoes in hand, walking in stockinged feet. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I love the movie The Shop Around the Corner, and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it! It's short, and, well, James Stewart. The man can pull off a double-breasted suit like no other...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner for breakfast

I put the shoes on as the lift went up again. James Barnes was odd. One minute we’d be laughing at the double-breasted suits James Stewart was wearing, the next he’d be completely serious. Then, when Steve came in, he retreated into that shell of his. And I knew, if he felt threatened, he would take immediate action. Neutralise the threat. It would probably be best, for my own sanity, to keep my emotional distance from the man.

But that just wasn’t going to happen. It seemed to me that James needed a friend, one that didn’t have all the baggage that Steve had, of knowing James before all of the Hydra nonsense. And it looked like I was that friend. Besides, he could be fun to hang out with, I mused. The elevator opened at the communal Avengers kitchen. 

“Thanks J,” I told the AI, stomach still rumbling. Popcorn wasn’t exactly a complete dinner, especially when sharing with a guy. 

“Of course, Miss Bates.” The occupants of the kitchen looked up at my approach. It was a curly-haired man I recognised, Natasha, and Sam Wilson. 

“Doctor Banner,” I said, greeting the scientist, who was nursing a mug of something. Probably green tea. 

“Eve Bates,” he said, smiling. “Tony said you were moving to New York. Here to stay?”

“For the immediate future, yes,” I replied, working to keep the smile on my face. 

“It’ll be nice for Tony to have you around,” the scientist said. “He misses you when you’re gone.” I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just smiled and went to the fridge to see what I could make. Breakfast for dinner sounded appealing, so I started to pull out supplies. 

“Anyone else want food?” I asked. 

“We kind of just ate,” Wilson said. 

“Thanks, though.” That was Natasha. I grabbed the milk from the door, then shut the fridge with a foot. “How’s Barnes?”

“She’s the one?” Bruce whistled. “No wonder Tony’s got his…” He looked at me.

“Panties in a twist?” I asked with a grin. “Anything you say about my uncle, believe me, I’ve heard it before.” I grabbed a bowl and started cracking eggs into it. Wilson chuckled.

“So you met with the Winter Soldier, then?” he asked.

“I met Sargent Barnes,” I said, nodding. “He seems nice enough.” I pulled out a pan and set it on the stove. 

“Nice enough?” Wilson echoed. “Honey, I don’t think anyone’s called Barnes ‘nice enough’ since the forties.”

“Well, maybe someone should,” I retorted. 

“I think you did well,” Natasha put in. I looked up and smiled at the redhead. 

“Thanks, but I was just following your advice.” Sam looked puzzled, so I elaborated. “Be myself, and don’t lie.”

“She was polite,” Natasha elaborated. “But she didn’t let him bully her either.” 

“Polite but not a pushover,” I mused, putting another pan on the stove and tossing a bit of butter in. “I can live with that.”

“And you’re obviously not intimidated by Steve.” I stirred my eggs as they went into the pan, not knowing how to reply to that. 

“So,” Dr. Banner said, changing the subject, “Tony tells us you’re performing this week?”

“He told you that, did he?” I kept stirring the eggs. “My quartet and I are playing a concert day after tomorrow, at some church on the Upper East Side. St. Michael’s.”

“Why did you move here in the first place?” Sam asked from the breakfast bar. “Didn’t Tony say you lived in England?” I froze for a minute, then moved to put a few shredded potatoes in the butter. 

“I did,” I said. “I lived in London for six years. I did my master’s there, got my degree, but I got a wonderful opportunity here, to do outreach and concerts with the New York Philharmonic and the Met, so I couldn’t really say no.” I was glad my back was to them as I lied. Well, I didn’t lie. Everything I said was the truth, but the biggest reason I’d fled England remained secret. I didn’t think I wanted to share that much. 

Wilson didn’t seem to notice. “Sweet,” he said. “Any of those potatoes going spare?” I had to roll my eyes. 

“I’ll make more.” I shovelled my eggs onto my plate and a few more potatoes onto the pan. “Ketchup?”

“Fridge door, second shelf down,” Dr. Banner said. 

“Thanks.” I grabbed the necessary and put my plate down on the side of the island, where I could eat and still keep an eye on the potatoes.

“So you’re really going to be living with Barnes,” Sam said. I nodded, mouth full. 

“Where will you be living?” Banner asked. 

“Dunno yet,” I said, swallowing. “I gave James a whole bunch of newspapers, and a tablet, so we’ll see what he comes up with. And I’ll look too, once I get a chance.”

“James.” Natasha said thoughtfully. 

“It’s his name, isn’t it?” I tried to say it with as little inflection as possible. “Anyway, I’d definitely like to stay in Manhattan, if I can - it’ll make getting to work easier.”

“Why don’t you just stay in the Tower?” Dr. Banner asked. 

“And stay in the same building as my aunt and uncle?” I shook my head. “Thanks but no thanks.” The thought of Tony being able to pry into my personal life - I shuddered. “Besides, I like to pay my own way as much as I can.” I made a mental note to see what my budget for flat-hunting would be with Bucky - real estate in Manhattan was about as much fun as it was in London. As in, as much fun as a double root canal without anaesthetic.

“And how’s our favourite robot whisperer?” Tony asked, coming into the kitchen.

“Haha,” I told him, checking the potatoes. Almost done. “I’m fine.”

“I thought you’d be down with Inspector Gadget now - didn’t you say you were going to watch movies?”

“You used that reference already,” I reminded him. “And yes, James and I got almost all the way through a movie, but then Steve showed up with dinner for them both.”

“So you left to fend for yourself.” Tony completed. “Also, Terminator has a first name now?”

“Terminator?” I scoffed. “You’re reaching. And he always had a first name.” I checked the potatoes again. “Still want some, Sam?” I asked, getting another plate down.

“Yes!” the man said, reaching for the now-full plate. “Eve Bates, you are amazing.”

“So they tell me,” I replied, smiling. The Avengers weren’t bad company, I thought. 

“Why’d you leave?” Natasha asked. “I’m sure Steve wouldn’t have minded.” I looked down at my half-empty plate. 

“I felt like I should,” I said at last. “It seems like James gets on with me alone, or Steve alone, but not both of us together. It felt awkward, so I left.”

“What were you watching, anyway?” Tony asked. “Not that awful You’ve Got Mail prequel thing you made me watch last Christmas.”

“Yeah, that one,” I said, shoving Tony as he went for the coffee maker. 

“Wasn’t that made in the 40s?” he asked, avoiding me neatly.

“1940,” I said, taking another bite. 

“You had the choice of the entire world of cinema - Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Die Hard, James Bond - and you pick a little movie made in the 40s.”

“I happen to like it,” I said, sticking my nose in the air. “Besides, you know he’ll watch them eventually, if he lives with me.”

Tony scowled again. “You had to remind me.”

“Not your decision, remember?” I asked lightly, finishing off my dinner and searching for the dishwasher.

“To your right,” Wilson said, and I opened the camouflaged appliance and shoved the plate in.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Oh, and Eve?” That was Tony, mug in hand, headed out the door. 

“Yeah?” 

“Pepper says you and she need some serious retail therapy time - put it in your schedule.”

I grinned. “Tell her after the concert, I’m all hers.” Tony grinned.

“My bank account’s going to regret this, isn’t it?”

“Your fault you give Pepper access,” I shot back.

“Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” 

“I will!” I shouted as the lift doors closed behind him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for my not posting anything yesterday! I was quite ill yesterday, so nothing got done. So here are two chapters today instead of just one.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James talk real estate

I woke up the next morning, and for a moment, I didn’t know where I was. 

“Miss Bates?” It was JARVIS. I was in Avengers Tower. 

“Morning,” I said raspily. “What’s up, JARVIS?” 

“Sargent Barnes asked me to contact you,” the AI said. He sounded amused, as much as he ever could. 

“What time is it?” I asked. 

“7:03 am.” I groaned.

“Ok, J, put him on,” I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake myself up. I had major jetlag this trip, and I’d been up from 3am until 5, tossing and turning. I’d really wanted to sleep in.

“Eve?”

“Morning James,” I said as cheerfully as I could. I still sounded sleepy.

“Did I wake you up?” the voice sounded concerned. “I can call back later.”

“No,” I interrupted. “I’m awake now. No problem. I’m just jetlagged. What’s up?” I started to pull my hair out of its braid as I talked, sitting up in bed. 

“Steve taught me to use the tablet-thing you left last night - I was thinking we could go over it at breakfast?”

I grinned. Breakfast two meals in a row. “Sure,” I stood up. “You’ll have to give me a bit, though - I just woke up.”

Silence. “Eve?”

“Yes?” Silence. “Do you want me to arrange breakfast?” I asked, feeling silly. This was so much harder, speaking to him without seeing his expressions.

“Yes.”

“Ok,” I said, opening my suitcase - I hadn’t bothered to unpack. “I’ll meet you at 7:30 or so, ok?”

“All right.”

“Do you want to eat in your room, or upstairs?” 

“Upstairs?”

“The Avengers have a kitchen,” I explained. “And I think our apartment’s done too. Right J?”

“I’m afraid the apartment doesn’t have food in it. Or coffee.” The AI said apologetically. “Groceries won’t be arriving until later today.”

“So,” I said. “That means our options are your room or the Avengers kitchen. What do you think?”

A brief silence, then “My room.” 

“Ok,” I said. “I’ll see you at 7:30 at your room. Breakfast may take a little longer - I’ll order in.”

“Ok.”

“See you soon.”

“Bye.”

 

I sat back on the bed, taking a breath. Talking with James was work - it was hard to know what to say, when to take the initiative - I hoped it would get easier. With a shake of the head, I got back up and started to change, thankful I’d showered the previous evening. 

“JARVIS?” I asked.

“Yes, Miss Bates.”

“I need breakfast, for James and I.” I thought a minute as I slipped on a pair of jeans. “We’ll need coffee, and a pastry for me, plus cooked stuff for him, probably. So…” I tried to think of the appropriate chain. What I wouldn’t give for a Pret a Manger just about now. I didn’t know New York well enough yet to know the places to go. “I need help, J. I’ll need a restaurant that does takeout, that can get me a cooked breakfast, a decent pastry, and coffees, quickly.” I made a face. “Does that place even exist?”

“I will find something,” JARVIS said. 

“My breakfast preferences haven’t changed, J. And use your best judgement for James?”

“Very good.”

“You, my friend,” I told the AI. “Are awesome.”

“Thank you, Eve.” I rushed to put on a top, then went to the bathroom adjoining my room to make myself presentable. Thank goodness I was never too high-maintenance. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, feeling myself wake up as I completed the familiar morning rituals. 

“Miss Bates?” JARVIS said as I was starting on my foundation. 

“Yes?”

“The breakfast has been ordered as you requested. I will inform you when it arrives.”

“Thanks J.” I applied the usual, a bit of eyeliner, a bit of mascara, and some blush, then checked the time. 7:22. It was one of my quickest yet - ready to go in less than twenty minutes. I checked my phone for unread email as I found a pair of shoes, the flats I’d traveled in two days previously. 

Nothing too major. I forwarded an email to the rest of the quartet about a possible gig next September, and deleted spam. I stopped as I saw the next email. It was from Spencer.

I made myself not look at the subject line as I smashed my finger across the screen. Delete. Delete delete delete. 

I stepped into the waiting lift, trying to collect my thoughts as the car sped downwards. “JARVIS?”

“Yes?”

“What’s the ETA on food?”

“I estimate twenty minutes on food. And coffee.”

“Oh JARVIS, you who art clever in the desires of us humans,” I said drily. “Thanks. I need to go pick it up, right?”

“Correct. I will inform you when it has arrived.” 

“Sweet.” I was already sounding more American, I thought as I padded down the corridor once again. I was also getting very familiar with this stretch of hallway.

I knocked on James’ door, and he opened it within seconds. 

“Good morning,” I said. 

“Hi,” he said, stepping aside so I could come in. The newspapers were on an amazingly neat pile on his bed, the tablet placed neatly on top. I wondered whether he’d always been so tidy, or whether it was an aspect of his conditioning. I dismissed the thought. It was pointless to try and tease the two apart. 

“Food’s on its way,” I said. “I need to go and collect it when it gets here, but JARVIS’ll let us know when that happens.”

“Ok.” He didn’t seem to know where to look. Then he looked at the bed. “That’s` right.” He didn’t seem to be talking to me. “I wanted to show you what I found.”

“Let’s see,” I said, moving over to the bed. “I haven’t had a chance to look yet.” He looked concerned, sitting on the bed and picking up a paper. “I just mean I haven’t had time, James. Nothing sinister.” I sat next to him, noticing for the first time just how muscular he was. I was hardly super-model skinny, but I felt like a child next to him.

He passed over a paper, folded open to the real estate section. He’d circled a few entries, but the starred one caught my eye. 

‘Three bedrooms, three baths. Central Park view. Recently renovated. Price upon request.’ I looked up at him, finger next to the entry. He smiled.

“I know it’s a pipe dream,” he said wistfully. 

“Yeah,” I said. “One of mine too. Two bedroom, two bath, South Kensington, adjacent to Hyde Park. Price upon request.” He looked blank. “My ideal place in London.”

“Oh.”

“I used to live there,” I said, looking back down at the paper. “I thought I was going to live there forever.” I swallowed, realising how close I was to telling James everything. “But things changed.”

“What things?” He was looking at me, when I tilted my head to check his expression. Goodness, his eyes were pretty, grey and blue mixed. 

“I don’t think I’m ready to tell anyone about it,” I said. “I’m sorry James.” 

We sat in silence for a minute. I wondered whether I’d screwed things up with this new friend of mine. I didn’t want to lie, but I wouldn’t tell him that either. The wound was still too fresh. 

“How about this place?” James said finally, pointing to another circled place. “Two bed, two bath. It used to be a nice part of town.” I peered at it. 

“Character - isn’t that real estate speak for ‘old, so lots of things don’t work?’” I asked. 

He chuckled. I’d made James chuckle. I looked at him in surprise - I hadn’t realised he knew how to do that.

“Miss Bates?” JARVIS said, and James went immediately silent, stiffening next to me.

“Yes, JARVIS?” I said, calmly. 

“Your breakfast has arrived.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.” I rose. “Do you want to come?” I did wonder how I’d carry it all by myself.

“Can I?” 

I thought about that. I wasn’t sure of my ability to contain the situation. But I could hardly renege on the offer now. “Do you promise to stay with me? And to tell me if there’s a problem?”

“I promise.”

“Ok.” I knew JARVIS was listening, but I might as well make it formal. “James is coming with me, JARVIS. On my authority. We won’t leave the building.”

“Very well, Miss Bates.” JARVIS sounded very formal. I went to the door and opened it. James was still sitting on the bed.

“Coming?” I asked. He nodded and stood, grabbing a glove to put on over his metal hand. He followed me out of the door and into the hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day. Hope you enjoy!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James do breakfast.

No klaxons sounded as James left his room. No alarms, no lasers. No squad of SHIELD agents with guns running at us. Just the two of us, walking towards the lift, whose doors opened as we approached.

James was tense as the lift rose, but he seemed to be trying to control it. His breathing was even, and his hands were relaxed at his sides. I caught his eye.

“We all right?” I asked. He nodded convulsively, and took my hand with his metal one. I know my eyes widened, but I didn’t say anything. “All right,” I said as the doors wooshed open. His hand tightened on mine as we moved out, but he stayed at my side. 

I spotted the delivery guy immediately, a 20-something in a logoed polo shirt.

“Hi,” I called. “You have our breakfast?” 

“Sure do,” he said in a broad New York drawl. I wondered for a minute what we must look like - two 20-somethings, hand-in-hand, ordering breakfast in instead of going out. He handed over two large bags, and James, as if he’d been doing it forever, stepped forward and took them. 

I tried not to let it surprise me, just smiled at him. I got a smile back, broader than the half-smiles of yesterday. I took the two cups of coffee, handing the delivery guy the bill I’d grabbed from my wallet. “Thanks,” I said. “I know it’s obscenely early.”

“Have a good day, ma’am,” he said, pocketing the bill and turning. “Sir.” I watched him walk most of the way out of the building, somehow suddenly paranoid. But then he walked out the glass doors. I turned, and James was already waiting for me at the elevator. He smirked as I reached him. 

“I know, I know,” I said. “I’m paranoid.” His face blanked for a minute, and I regretted the word. Then the moment passed, and his face cleared. 

“Paranoid is good.” He said, getting into the elevator. “Paranoid can keep you alive.” My stomach sank. I had said the wrong thing. “What is all this?” he asked, and I glanced over at him again. He was holding bag up, then the other, sniffing. 

“I’m not sure, exactly,” I said with a smile. “I’ve got a latte for me, a coffee for you, and there’s a pastry in there with my name on it. I told JARVIS to use his judgement on the rest.” I eyed the size of the bags. “I think he might have gone overboard.” 

“I was not sure how much food Sargent Barnes required,” JARVIS put in. James jumped again on hearing the AI’s voice. 

“So you erred on the side of caution?” I snarked back. 

“I am aware of the amount that Captain Rogers is able to consume,” the AI said calmly, and James snorted. 

“He always ate,” James said. “Even when he was a scrawny kid, he always ate for three.” I didn’t know what to say, so I lead the way to James’ room once again. 

We ate on the floor, spreading the boxes around us. JARVIS had gone all out - pancakes, eggs, sausages, bacon, oatmeal, not to mention my chocolate croissant and a few other croissants and danishes. It was really enough food for four or five people, but James seemed happy enough to eat as I surfed the web on his tablet, gesturing him over every now and again to show him a place.

“How about this?” I leaned over, turning so he could see the screen. “Two bed, two bath, west of Central Park.”

“Isn’t that far away from work for you?” he asked, voice in my ear as he scrolled down - always with his real hand, I noticed. I guessed the metal one wouldn’t work with the touch screen. Maybe Tony could do something about that.

“Not too bad,” I said, scrolling up again to show him the map. “It’s just about walkable. And there’s the subway.”

“Sure, I guess.” 

“I’ll put it on the list then?”

“Yeah.” I leaned back upright, taking another sip of coffee. The amount of food the man was eating was extraordinary. He’d marched through the eggs, demolished the sausages, and was eating pancakes without slowing. Perhaps JARVIS had had a point about an enhanced soldier’s metabolism. I’d read a little bit more of James’ file while I’d been unable to sleep this morning, and I’d found out that James had been given a modified version of Steve’s superserum.

“Want some?” he was holding a fork filled with pancakes and syrup out to me. I took the fork, smiling.

“Sure.” I ate. “Mm. Thanks.” I handed back the fork with a smile. He was certainly opening up more. I checked the time absently. 7:58. As I put the phone away, I noticed Bucky eyeing it again. “Problems?” I asked. I didn’t want to come out and ask if Steve had explained a cellphone to him or not. After all, James might know what a cellphone was, and the last thing I wanted to do was imply that he was dumb.

“That’s your phone?” he asked. I nodded. “May I see it?” I handed it over. He turned it in his hands, dwarfing the gadget. “We didn’t have phones like this in” he paused, took a breath, then went on. “They didn’t give me phones like this. Mine all had buttons. And you had to flip them open.”

“Ugh. Flip phones.” I thought about that. “I guess that was security through technical obsolescence.” Bucky’s head shot up at that, in one of those insanely quick motions. He chuckled again, and I smiled. I’d been rather fond of that line myself. 

“How does it work if there aren’t any buttons?” he asked, pushing the one conventional button and watching the screen light up.

“It’s a touch screen - like the tablet,” I said, scooting over so we were both sat with our backs leaning against his bed. “Do you want me to show you how it works?” He handed the phone over. “Ok, so to wake it up, I have to press the button like you did,” the screen lit up, “then swipe right,” I swiped, “then input my password.” James turned his back, and I laughed. He turned back, confused.

“It’s not the password to Fort Knox, James,” I said as lightly as I could manage. “I don’t mind you knowing it.” His eyes widened. “And besides, it isn’t as if you couldn’t just look on while I’m unlocking my phone some other time, if you really wanted to use it. I’m not as careful about it as I probably should be.” As I would need to be from now on, I realised. I wasn’t just protecting my own secrets anymore.

By this time, my fingers had already unlocked the phone anyway, moving on automatic pilot. I was caught in Bucky’s stare, his blue-grey eyes holding mine. Then I shook myself. “Anyway,” I said, returning my attention to the phone and the lesson, “All of these icon thingies, the little squares,” I felt James nod beside me. “Those are called apps. You can touch them and they do different things.” I spotted a new email I hadn’t read. I pointed to the icon. “Press that for me, please,” I said, and he obliged.

I watched his face as he watched the phone work. It was nice, to see someone fascinated with technology the rest of us took for granted. 

“Who’s Spencer Coogan?” James asked, and I froze. Next to me, James’ head swiveled, looking for the threat, then turned back to me. I hated this. I hated the situation Spencer had put me in, hated him. I needed to say something.

“Spencer Coogan is the main reason I’m not in London any more.” I sighed. I could read an email. I could do this. “Let’s see what the scumbag has to say for himself.” James, being a fast learner, tapped the message.

‘ **Dearest, darlingest, lovely Eve,**

**I miss you more and more with every passing hour, and I cannot believe you have forsaken me for good. I am so very sorry for the things I said, the things I may have done to hurt you.**

**Please please say you will come back to London! Forget New York! Return to me.**

**Love**

**Love love love**

**Spencer.**

My lip curled in disgust. No admission of fault. No actual apology. Typical Spencer. I’d been such an idiot. James was obviously a fast reader as well, because he was looking at me now, questions in his eyes.

“Short version - Spence and I dated for just under a year. For six months of that time, he’d been sleeping with a mutual friend. I found out. He knows I know.” 

I rubbed a hand over my forehead. Now came the part I wasn’t proud of. “And then I got a job offer here. In almost any other circumstance, I would have had second thoughts about taking it. But I just wanted to get away, to leave London. And I know it’s pathetic to run away from a place you love because of a guy, but that’s what I did.” I dropped my head. “Now you know what your roommate is made of. In all her glory.” I spat the last word.

Just then, because life never gave you just one pain at once, Steve opened the door. “You took Bucky into the lobby?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eve and Steve really don't seem to get along, now do they? (hmmm. Eve and Steve. That sounds funny...) 
> 
> Thanks for reading, and the next chapter will be, as always, and barring injury, posted tomorrow!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve barges in...

“You took Bucky into the lobby?” He almost shouted it. I flinched, both from the surprise and the tone. Then I tried to stand, but an arm was in my way.

“James!” I snapped. James was crouched in front of me. Apparently he’d decided it was his job to protect me. On hearing his name, he turned. “That’s Steve,” I reminded him. “He won’t hurt me.” He sat back, that damn mask on his face again. 

Steve had his hands up, and he lowered them as James sat back. “Do you want to take this outside?” he asked. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Nor is it fair to James.” We both looked at the man, looking blankly up at us. I sighed. “Come on, Steve, sit down. I’ll explain.” I sat down next to James again, and Steve pulled up the chair. 

“First of all, I don’t think I did anything wrong. But if you’re going to blame someone, I get all the blame, all right? It was my decision.” I looked at Steve squarely. He nodded.

“All right. James woke me up, and we decided to look at real estate stuff over breakfast.” More or less correct. “And since James didn’t want to get breakfast in the Avengers kitchen, I had JARVIS order in. When it arrived, I asked if James would help me carry the food. He said yes.”

I shook my head. “It’s not like his picture’s out there for everyone to see like yours is, Steve.”

Then something happened that I never expected. “The guy didn’t even really notice me, Steve,” James said. I almost hurt my neck trying to look at him. He had leaned his hands on his knees and was looking at Steve. “I’d taken her hand” he looked at me with half a smile. “And he thought we were a couple. Not that he spent any time looking at me anyway.” His smile turned into a grin. “Trust me on this one, Steve. The guy couldn’t have cared less about me.”

I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. 

“At least tell me you had a glove on,” Steve sighed. 

“Don’t teach your grandma to suck eggs, punk,” James shot back, and I smiled. He sounded so comfortable. It was worth Steve yelling at me to hear that.

“I still wish you hadn’t let him come, though, Eve,” Steve told me.

“Like I told you, Steve,” I said, voice a little hard. I was fast losing any fuzzy feelings for the Star Spangled Man. “Not doing it for you. And James is his own person. He wanted to come.”

Steve let it drop, although I figured I’d be cornered by the super soldier at some point soon for another lecture. Oh goody.

“So what’d you guys find?” Steve asked, and James started filling him in. I swapped spots with Steve so they guys could talk more easily. I watched them absently. James seemed so calm around Steve - it was the first chance I’d had to see them really interact. They joked back and forth, like I did with Tony, they shoved each other.

It was nice to see James happy. 

I was a little surprised at the thought, but it was true. I’d made a new friend in the way I usually did - overnight, I’d claimed this man as my friend. Now his hurts were mine, his cares mine to bear. His joys I got to share as well, and I enjoyed James’ smiles as I sat back, watching. 

Then I checked the time again. 8:40. Where had the time gone? I sat up. 

“Eve?” Steve asked.

“Sorry to pull you away from House Hunters New York,” I said. “I have to leave soon. Can we discuss plans for the day?”

“Sure.” James’ face lit again. “We can move in today, right?”

“Right,” I told him. “Afternoon sometime.” I checked my phone. “Sorry,” I said absentmindedly as I pulled up my calendar. “Today’s a bit busy for me. I’ve got rehearsal from 9:30 until 12 - stupid sound check stuff, then my quartet and I are going out for lunch.” I bit my bottom lip. “My free time today is afternoon, but I’ve got to be ready for the concert at 7, which means I probably need to be free at 5.” I was probably over-calculating travel time, but better safe than sorry.

I looked at the pair of them, who were looking up at me, a bit stunned. It was cute. I grinned. “Basically what I’m saying,” I continued, “is that if you, James, want to get into the apartment before I’m back, go for it.” 

He shook his head. “No. Together.” 

“All right. I won’t linger over lunch, then.” I looked at Steve. “And who controls what tech James gets?” I asked. “I’m assuming someone does.”

“Agent Hill or I get final approval,” he said, clearly uncomfortable discussing it around James. That was just too bad. James was an adult. “I guess we should add you to that list.” He sounded manifestly unhappy about it, but he’d made the admission. Perhaps the super soldier wasn’t so bad after all. 

“Well then,” I said, turning an idea over in my head. “I need to talk to you, later.” James looked worried. “I promise, it’s a good surprise.” He still looked blank. “Unless you’d rather I tell you?”

He blinked, then shook his head. “I trust you.” I couldn’t help the pleased grin that covered my face. 

I glanced at the time again. I’d really wanted to get some practice in before rehearsal - there were a few spots in the Mozart that were giving me trouble.

“Do you need to go now?” James asked. I looked at him. I’d stay, but I needed to practice. And I wasn’t doing anything of use down here - I’d just been watching the two men anyway.

“I probably should,” I said, and stood. “See you two later?”

“Yeah,” Steve said. “I want to be there when Bucky first sees his place.” 

“Eve?” I looked at James. “JARVIS can get you on your phone, right?”

I nodded. “I keep it off for rehearsals, but I’ll check it at break.” 

James might have reddened slightly. “So I can send you places.” He really blushed this time. “Places to live. So I can send you real estate listings.”

I just smiled at him. He was absolutely adorable. I also thought he might need a job, some occupation, to keep him busy. He certainly was like a dog with a bone with the flat hunting, although I supposed it could have just been his desire to leave the Tower.

“Sure,” I said. “Sounds good.” I’d start compiling a list of my favourite movies, books and things. Maybe he’d like to start watching those through. “See you later, you two.”

“Bye, Eve,” James said.

“Later,” Steve called, the more modern of the two. I started to make notes on my phone, dictating to JARVIS, who’d replaced Siri within minutes of my upgrade.

‘Ok, J. I need to ask Steve about getting a phone for James. And a laptop. And I need to start making a list of things James should catch up on. If he wants. Books, movies, and stuff. Can you start on that one for me? Compile a list of best ofs, and I’ll go through and edit it. Remind me to get an IKEA catalog sent to me too. I’m going to need stuff.” It went on and on like that as I stood in the elevator, brain swirling with plans, actually looking forward to my life in New York, for once.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper worries...

I was sitting in the car with Pepper. I’d meant to try and take the subway to the church this time, but Pepper was on her way to some business meeting, and she’d offered to swing by the church and drop me off. I couldn’t really say no, running late as I was. I’d spent a bit too much time making lists, trying to think of things James might enjoy doing after I’d practiced a bit, and I’d been worried that I’d be late to rehearsal.

“So I hear you’ve spent quite a lot of time with Sargent Barnes,” she said, relaxing back into the upholstery. 

“Yeah,” I replied, and realised exactly how much of my free time James had actually occupied. “Christ, Aunt Pepper, I’m sorry. I’ve spent almost no time with you two, have I? Can we get together tomorrow, for breakfast or something?”

Pepper laughed. “Don’t worry about it. If I had the choice between spending time with my adopted aunt and uncle or with a dark mysterious soldier with a past, I know which one I’d choose.”

“Come on, it’s not like that!” I told her. 

“What’s it like then?” she asked calmly. She knew about Spencer, of course. She’d been the first one I’d called when I had come home to Spencer and Natalie in bed. I wondered if she was trying to set me up with James, or warn me off him. It was a moot point either way.

“We’re just friends, ok?” I could tell Pepper didn’t believe me. “Really. I seriously doubt either of us are in any emotional shape for a relationship right now. I mean,” I said, picking up my phone. “I had to explain to him how my phone worked, for heaven’s sake!”

“Just because he doesn’t understand how a phone works doesn’t equate to being emotionally unavailable,” she commented. “But I see your point.”

“I just think it does him good, to have someone around who hasn’t known him since he was born - someone who didn’t know him before Hydra got to him.” I looked down. “You can’t tell anyone this, ok, not even Tony.”

“Ok.” 

“I know Steve means well, I really do. But I think he really wants Bucky back. You know, the man he knew before Hydra got to him. And I don’t think that will ever really happen, and I don’t think Steve has realised it yet.” I played with my phone. “Oh, I think they’ll still be friends at the end of the day. But Steve’s kind of overprotective sometimes.” I grinned. “James helped me with breakfast this morning, and Steve kind of flipped out.”

Pepper’s eyes widened. “What happened?”

“James went into the lobby, to help me carry the food back to his room, and Steve found out and barged in while we were eating.” I realised what it sounded like, but I really couldn’t think of a better quick way to describe what had happened. “I think James has decided his job is to protect me, which is kind of sweet.” I elaborated, seeing the confusion on Pepper’s face. “He got between me and Steve this morning, which kind of stopped Steve’s righteousness in its tracks.” I grinned again. 

“Just be careful,” Pepper warned. “You’re fragile right now, and Barnes isn’t much better.”

I waved it off. “I’ll be fine.” Then I had another thought. “Oh, and I had a question for you.” 

“Shoot.”

“I think James might do better with a job - a purpose. He really latched on to this real estate thing. But I’m not sure what he might enjoy doing. Would you mind giving it some thought?”

“Sure.” Pepper smiled. “You know, you sound very maternal right now.”

I grimaced. “I’m trying to make sure he has agency, Pepper. Which is hard when he’s not used to making any decisions at all. Steve wants to do everything for him, make life easier, which I get. But James should have the life he wants.” I sighed. “It’s tricky. I don’t really know how to phrase things most of the time. And I don’t just want to make every decision for him because it’s easier. Or baby him. Or assume he knows something. Or doesn’t know something.”

Pepper broke in on my litany. “Eve, if you’re worried about it, it’s probably a good sign.” She put a hand on my arm, the one that was clutching my phone tight. “And you don’t have to be perfect. No one expects you to.”

“Except me,” I said automatically.

“Except you,” she echoed with a chuckle. “Believe me, dear. Between you and Steve, you’ll have Barnes back to normal before you know it.” Then she stopped, realising what she’d said. “Back to… Oh, I see what you mean.”

“Try ‘happy with his ability to control his own life again,’” I supplied. “As much as any of us are happy with the control we have.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James move in.

At 1:32, I walked out of the restaurant and tried to hail a cab. Fortunately, the taxi gods were with me, and I got one within minutes.

“Avengers Tower, please,” I told the cabbie. 

“You got it, ma’am,” he said. I looked at my phone, debating whether to text or call. Text was just weird, I decided, considering I’d be asking JARVIS to tell James something when I could just tell him myself.

I punched in the number. “Miss Bates?” JARVIS asked. I couldn’t wait until I got James a phone. 

“Hi J. Could you ask if James has a second to speak to me?”

“Certainly. Wait a moment.” I waited, then another voice spoke.

“Eve? That you?”

“Hi James,” I said, smiling. “I’m headed back from lunch now - it’ll take me about fifteen minutes, I think.”

“I have my stuff already packed,” he said, and I wondered how much stuff he actually had. Certainly less than I did, even after leaving a whole bunch in the UK. JARVIS had had my things moved this morning, while I was out. I’d need to unpack, of course, but at least I didn’t have to move heavy suitcases. “I’ll get Steve.”

“Ok,” I replied, hoping my surprise didn’t show. James had made a decision for himself - it was a good sign, right? 

“Meet you in the lobby?” 

“Sounds good,” I said, smiling now. I was looking forward to my new, albeit temporary digs, and James was sounding confident, which made my day even better.

“See you then.”

“See you soon.”

“Bye Eve.”

“Bye James.” I hung up. That was quite a change - James must be anxious to get out of his room. Not that I wouldn’t be as well, if our places were reversed.

I waited out the rest of the drive in silence, starting to recognise turns and buildings from my few trips out. I’d get the hang of this city yet. It was built on a grid, for heaven’s sake.

 

I walked through the sliding glass door, excitement buzzing through my veins as I searched for James. Steve was in the back corner, next to the private lift. He spotted me and waved.

I waved back, heading over. James was in the shadows, almost hiding behind a potted plant. A potted freaking plant. I hated that he felt he had to hide. Or that Steve felt he had to hide. ‘Not for long, though,’ I thought. ‘One very snazzy Avengers apartment. Coming right up.’ 

“Ready?” I asked them. James nodded. He looked tense, like he might suddenly run away from us. The confident man I’d spoken to just minutes earlier had retreated for the time being. Steve had picked up on his friend’s tension and had been standing guard. The elevator doors opened, and I made sure James was the first one on. We stood close as the car started to rise. I shot him a smile. He still looked wary, but better. 

We kept going up. And up. And up. “Which floor are we going to, exactly?” I asked JARVIS. 

“You will be one floor below Sir and Miss Potts, Miss Bates,” JARVIS said. All the breath suddenly left my body. 

“We’re in the guest wing?” I asked incredulously. The guest wing, as Tony referred to it, was the space Tony and Pepper reserved for dignitaries when they visited Stark Industries. It was fancier than the Ritz. Or the White House.

“It does have the appropriate number of bedrooms. And it is furnished,” JARVIS replied smoothly. Both soldiers were staring at me.

“We’ll be living where Fury stays, when he visits Tony,” I said, and Steve rocked back on his heels, as surprised as I was. James just looked back at me. “It’s basically the world’s fanciest hotel suite,” I told him. “And it’s far too nice,” I said, speaking to JARVIS. 

“I do believe Sir specifically picked the guest house for yourself and Sargent Barnes,” JARVIS said. If the AI could have sounded amused, he would have. 

Finally the lift stopped, and the doors opened onto the most amazing view. My feet dragged me to the floor-to-ceiling window so I could take a better look. I could see most of the island from here, buildings stretching as far as the eye could see, Central Park’s greenery clearly visible. “Oh my goodness,” I breathed. Someone chuckled beside me. I turned my head. 

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” James said, looking out himself. 

“Um, guys?” Steve said from behind us, and we turned. I noticed for the first time that we were in a giant great room, complete with enormous sectional sofa, chairs, cushions, and the like, all obviously very expensive. Steve was looking through a hallway to his right. “You might want to come and see this.” James and I exchanged a glance, then he moved towards his friend. 

I kicked off my shoes. The carpet was bliss beneath my feet. Flats in hand, I joined the pair, who were speechless in a bathroom the size of my first flat in London.

“Holy walk-in shower, Batman,” I commented, weaving around Steve so I could examine the place more closely. The shower was enormous - you could fit all the Avengers in there without crowding them - and an equally large infinity tub sat at the other end of the room. I looked in the mirror above the brass double sinks, hardly surprised with what I saw. Two men, stunningly handsome, who fit in this space like they were born to it. And me. Ash blonde, neither ugly nor pretty, shoes in hand. I knew which of us didn’t fit. 

I walked around Steve again, glancing into the bedroom, which was outfitted to the same exacting standard as the rest of the space. Opposite the bathroom was a walk-in closet with a wall just for shoes. I saw Pepper’s influence, and smiled slightly. Still alone, I made my way across the great room and into the other corridor, which held another bedroom and bathroom.

This bathroom had a claw-foot tub and a rain shower, and was slightly smaller. Not that it made any difference, really. The place was still palatial. The bedroom, however, had a surprise. One wall was all windows, with the same amazing view as the great room. Almost without thinking about it, I sank down into a chair which must have been placed exactly to look out the window.

This was why I hadn’t wanted a place in the Tower. The place was gorgeous, everything I could dream of, but couldn’t afford on my own. I knew Tony wouldn’t mind if James and I stayed here permanently, which made it worse, in a way. But the view was beautiful.

I didn’t know how long I’d been sat there, admiring the view when they found me. “I guess you found your room, then,” James said. I looked around, startled. 

“No,” I protested, “If you want the room with the view, you can have it, I don’t mind.”

He just smiled at me, a lazy grin that I hadn’t seen before. “No, this room’s yours. I want the one with the gigantic shower.” I smiled faintly. He came over. “Steve’s examining the kitchen. Did you know this place has a kitchen?”

“I kind of assumed,” I said. 

“The suitcases by the door - those yours?” I hadn’t even noticed them.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Want me to carry them in here for you?” James was still standing beside my chair. 

“It’s ok,” I said. “I’ll do it in a minute.”

“Yes ma’am.” I looked up, surprised. James was smirking. 

“Well,” I said, levering myself up from the chair. It was sinfully comfortable. “I think I’d like a look at that kitchen, myself.” 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James join Steve in the kitchen

“Hey Eve,” Steve said as we rounded the corner into the kitchen. “I think Tony left you a present.”

“Oh, he shouldn’t have,” I said, spotting the wrapped object on the counter. Steve passed me a note. 

**We know you had to leave yours behind in England. Don’t even try to give it back. Tony and Pepper.**

I unwrapped the thing with trembling fingers, pretty certain what was underneath. Sure enough, I uncovered a brand new KitchenAid mixer in fire engine red. “Oh,” I breathed. It was true - I’d had to leave my old, beloved stand mixer in the UK, and I’d put a new mixer on top of my items to buy for my new place.

And now I had a new one. A hand landed on my shoulder. I looked up into James’ eyes. 

“Eve?”

“Hey.” He looked worried. “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. You ok?”

“Just startled, that’s all,” I smiled a little. “It’s a pretty special gift.”

“What is it?” I grinned.

“It’s a mixer. You can make cookie dough, or bread dough, or cake batter, or a half-dozen other things with it.” I moved to the pantry, which was, of course, fully stocked with all the baking supplies my heart could desire. Bread flour, sugar, all purpose flour, even, I saw as I peered in, a bag of 00 flour. 

“You bake?” Steve asked. He’d been sitting at the bar, waiting for us to turn up.

I turned, smiling. I realised I had the perfect baking audience - two super soldiers who could eat as much as a football team, not to mention the rest of the Avengers. And Pepper, who had a sweet tooth. I could bake something different every day and not have to worry about leftovers piling up. “Do I bake?” I scoffed. “I love baking. Croissants, cookies, cakes, bread. You name it, I’ve probably tried making it.” Steve looked surprised. 

“I didn’t know people actually baked anymore,” he said.

“They don’t mostly,” I replied, picking up the wrapping paper and searching for the bin. “It’s easier to pick up a loaf of bread from the supermarket. Or to buy a croissant from the bakery.” I found the trash can two doors left of the massive sink. “But I like doing it. And I can find the time easier than most.” 

I surveyed the kitchen properly. As with everything else, it was done up to Tony and Pepper’s exacting standards, with beautiful appliances, a spotless white countertop, and cupboards for miles. “Now,” I continued, spotting the coffee machine. “Would either of you two like a drink?” I started to search for mugs. “I’m sure we have pretty much everything.”

“A cup of coffee sounds great,” Steve replied. “Thanks.”

Another pair of hands came to help in the search. “No problem,” I said, turning as James opened the cupboards next to the fridge, revealing mugs and plates.“That’s the one,” I said, sliding in beside him. “You want a drink too, James?”

I thought for a minute that I’d made another mistake, either by stepping so close to him that I brushed his hip with mine, or by asking the question too abruptly, because his face went blank for a minute. I froze, and he gave me one of his half-smiles. 

“Tea?” he asked.

“Of course,” I said, pulling down three mugs. “Let’s see if we can find it.” 

The tea ended up being in a wooden box next to the espresso machine, and after a few attempts at both the kettle and the espresso machine, Steve, James, and I managed to sit down together at the kitchen counter, drinks in hand.

“This place is amazing,” Steve said, swinging his stool around to look at the view again. “Much nicer than my place.” 

“You live in the Tower too, right?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He grimaced. “I moved here after DC. I’m a few floors down. Clint and Natasha live next door.”

“Steve?” James asked. “Can I go look at my room again?” I was looking at Steve as James spoke, so I caught the flash of expression before he controlled it. Sadness was there, and anger, but not at James.

“Of course, Buck,” he said. “It’s your place now. You can do what you want.” James left, mug in hand. Steve dragged a hand through his hair, watching James go. 

I put a hand on his arm, and Steve looked at me. I gave him a sad smile. I wanted to say something reassuring, something helpful, but I wasn’t sure what. “I’m his friend too,” I said finally. “You know that, right? I’ll be there for him.”

He smiled. “Yeah.” He sighed. “I knew that the minute you started yelling at Tony for keeping Bucky in the basement.” 

I grinned. “We’re not in the basement now,” I said, then remembered something. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something.” He looked wary. “I’d love to get Bucky a phone - as a present.”

Steve frowned, his natural protectiveness clearly showing. I let him think about it, taking another drink. The espresso here was great. I’d never have to go out to a coffee shop ever again.

“I don’t know,” he said, finally. Then he shook his head. “If we made it one of Stark’s special phones, with the encryption and stuff, yeah.” 

“I know you’re scared of losing him again,” I said softly. “It’s not going to happen.”

“How can you know that?” he asked, staring into his coffee cup.

“Because,” I replied, remembering that morning. “The most relaxed I’ve ever seen James was this morning, when he was joking around with you. You’re the person that effectively broke his conditioning.”

I was finally on the end of one of Steve Roger’s blinding smiles. They were certainly impressive. “You give great pep talks,” he said, covering my hand and squeezing lightly. 

I brushed off the compliment. “Just don’t go telling anyone,” I said. “I have a reputation to protect.”

“And I’ll talk to Tony about a phone,” Steve said, getting up. “I have to get going - Avengers stuff.” I stood as well. “Thanks for the coffee. And the talk.”

“Anytime, Steve,” I said. “Oh, and about the phone?” 

“Yeah?”

“Can I give it to him?”

“It was your idea, wasn’t it?” Steve said with a grin, heading out. “See you later, Eve.”

“Bye!” I called, picking up his now-empty cup and heading to the sink. I’d have to bake tomorrow, I thought. But what to make? Then I had a thought.

Tarte tatin. Apple pie from France. Perfect.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve goes to work...

“James?” I called, emerging from my room. Both of us had spent the afternoon in our new apartment, exploring the nooks and crannies, unpacking, and generally just hanging out. I’d made myself a quick pre-concert snack before heading into my room to change. 

Now I was in full concert gear, a full-length black dress, slit to the knee so I could move, red lipstick, hair falling down my back, small earrings sparkling in my ears.

“James?” I called again, looking around in the great room. No sign of him. He’d retreated to his room a while ago, and I hadn’t heard a peep out of him since. I knocked on his door. 

I heard footsteps, then the door opened. 

“Hi, I just wanted to tell you I’m headed out,” I said. James had the oddest expression on his face. “You remember?” I continued, when he didn’t say anything. “I have a concert this evening. I probably won’t be back until late.”

“You’re playing?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I shrugged. “My quartet and I.”

“I’m supposed to wish you luck, right?” He still had one hand on the door, holding it open and was standing awkwardly in the opening.

“If you want to.”

“Good luck, Eve,” he said. 

“Thank you,” I replied. That should have been the end of the conversation. I should have been able to say goodbye and head out the door. But James didn’t quite look all right. “Everything ok?” I asked instead.

He shook his head briefly, as if to clear his head. “Yeah.”

“Steve going to keep you company this evening?” I asked.

“No, he’s got something to do tonight.” So he’d be alone tonight, I thought. 

“Any ideas what you want to do?” He shrugged, then looked down. I didn’t know what to say. Again.

“I’ll be fine,” James said, startling me out of my reverie. “Don’t worry about me, Eve. Go have fun.” 

“You’ll ask JARVIS if you need anything?” I said, not able to help myself. He was probably sick of me mothering him, or would be, soon.

“Yeah.” He smiled this time. “You look beautiful, by the way.” I blushed and looked down.

“Thanks.” I shifted my weight. “I’d better go.”

“Good luck,” he said again. 

“Thanks,” I repeated. “Bye James.”

“Bye Eve.”

 

 

 

The applause faded behind us as we made our final retreat backstage.

“That went well!” Miles said, broad grin nearly dividing his face in half.

“The audience certainly seemed to like it,” Jo put in, smiling just as widely.

I just grinned and let them natter away. Usually I’d have joined in the post-concert chatter, about how the pieces had gone, but they were saying everything I would have said, so I just got to packing up my violin.

“And Tony Stark was really there!” Jo said, shooting me a sly smile.

“I told you he would be,” I shot back.

“And was that Captain America next to him?” Yundu asked. I spun. 

“Steve? He was here?” I hadn’t spotted anyone in the audience, as I’d been on the wrong side of the stage and the light had blinded me. 

“Steve?” Jo stopped what she was doing. 

“It is his name,” I retorted.

“You call Captain America Steve,” Miles said flatly. I blushed. 

“I’m staying with Uncle Tony until I get settled,” I reminded them. “I could hardly avoid meeting the Avengers.” Then I thought about what I’d just said, and giggled. “They’re nice, guys. And fairly normal.”

“Oooh, did you get to meet Thor?” Yundu asked, fanning herself. 

“He’s still in Asgard, from what I hear,” I said, closing and locking my violin case. Yundu’s face fell as the door opened.

Two enormous bouquets preceded Tony into the room, followed by Pepper, carrying another bouquet and a box, probably for Miles. “There’s my favourite niece,” Tony carolled, putting a bouquet in my arms and kissing me on the cheek. “You sounded great,” he said quietly. “I was so proud.”

“Aww, Tony,” I drawled, throwing my arms around him to give him a hug. “Thanks for coming. I really appreciate it.”

“And this is for you,” he told Jo, becoming brash Tony Stark again, giving Jo the other bouquet. “Tony Stark. Nice to meet you.”

She shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Stark. We’ve heard about you.”

I lost track of the conversation as Pepper came by and gave me a hug as well. “We all loved it,” she said. “Even Tony.”

I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt. It was so great to have family close. “Yundu said Steve was here?” I asked. 

“All of us were,” she replied, keeping a weather eye on Tony as we chatted. “Steve, Clint, Natasha, Maria, and Sam. They’re waiting outside.” 

“Oh my,” I breathed. “That’s awfully nice of them.”

“I bribed them,” Tony said, sidling over to Pepper and kissing her on the cheek. “Dinner at Nobu next week.” I stuck my tongue out at him as Pepper laughed.

“They all wanted to come,” she assured me. By this time, even Miles had finished packing up and we were standing around the room, waiting for someone to make the first move.

‘Guess that someone’s me,’ I thought, heading for the door, pushing it open with a hip as my arms were filled with bouquet. It was heavy, and only opened a few inches, and I almost fell as someone pulled the door the rest of way open. Large hands grabbed my waist, keeping me from falling.

“Hi, Eve,” Steve said, setting me upright. “You guys sounded great.”

I grinned. Jo was going to flip out. She’d had a crush on Captain America since the footage of the Battle of New York. “Hi,” I looked behind me, where Jo was stopped, eyes as big as dinner plates. Miles was staring at Natasha, and Yundu stood behind him, eyes slightly glazed. I chuckled. “Steve, I’d like you to meet the rest of my quartet. Meet Joanna Hall, Miles Silverstein, and Yundu Lee.” Hearing their names had thawed the others a little bit. “Guys, meet Captain Steve Rogers. And Agents Romanov, Barton, and Hill, and Sam Wilson.”

I moved back, allowing the handshakes to commence. “Sounded good there, Eve,” Sam said. “I might even come to another one of these.” He shot a look at Yundu, who was eyeing him right back. 

“Thanks,” I said, letting him introduce himself to Yundu. 

“Looks like Falcon found himself a bird,” Tony said, having avoided the second round of introductions himself. 

“You’re reaching,” I informed him. “You can do better than that.”

“You’re breaking my heart,” he said forlornly. I just shoved him. “So, what do you want to do?” I looked at him blankly. “Go out for a drink? Grab dinner? Go dancing?”

“Actually,” I said. “What we usually do is head to someone’s place, order Chinese, and do a play-by-play before watching a crappy action movie. Last time it was the latest Die Hard.”

“Die Hard? Crappy?” Tony pretended to faint. “How could you say such a thing?”

“Not the first Die Hard,” I said. “Just the latest ones. They’re awful.”

“You wound me,” he said automatically before changing the subject. “Well, want to do that at the Tower?” 

Steve and Jo had reached us and had heard the latest exchange. “Post-concert Chinese at Avengers Tower? Yes please!”

“There you go,” I told Tony. “Looks like we’re crashing at my place.” Then I thought of James. “Or rather, at your place.” I didn’t think so many new people wasa great idea for him, especially with our current levels of post-concert adrenaline.

“I’ll call JARVIS, then,” I said, “Get him to order some Chinese.”

“Tell him the usual amount,” Tony called after me as I moved away from the crowd. I walked most of the way down the aisle of the church before bothering to dial. 

“Hello, Miss Bates.”

“Hi JARVIS.”

“I take it the concert went well?” 

I smiled at a few of the audience members who were still making their way out. “Thank you for coming,” I told them. “Yeah, it went well,” I continued, speaking once more to the AI. “We’re all headed back to the Tower now, for post-concert Chinese food and a movie.”

“Would you like me to order in?” JARVIS asked.

“J, you’re a hero. Yes please. Tony says the quote ‘usual amount’, plus a few extra things for us.”

“Any dietary restrictions I should be aware of?”

“Nope,” I grinned. “Dazzle me with your brilliance, J.”

“I shall endeavour to do so, Miss Bates,” he said drily. I wanted to ask how James was doing, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I shouldn’t ask JARVIS to spy on him, for so many reasons. Life would be so much easier when James had a phone, I thought. Then I could just shoot him a text saying that the concert was over. 

“Thanks, J,” I said instead. “Talk to you in a bit.”

“Goodbye, Miss Bates.”

 


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Concert Chinese at Avengers Tower.

I exited the elevator on my own, having left the others at the lounge while I went upstairs to drop off my violin. James was sitting on the large couch, watching something on an enormous drop-down screen. He looked up as the doors closed behind me.

“Hi Eve,” he said. “How’d the concert go?” I dropped onto the couch next to him.

“Pretty well,” I replied. “Did you know Steve was there?”

“He told me.” Blue eyes met mine. “You didn’t know he was going to be there?”

“No one told me,” I said. “It was really nice, though, to have everyone there.”

“What did you play?”

“Mozart ‘Dissonance’ and Beethoven Op. 18 No. 4,” I replied. He looked blank. “String quartets. I can get you recordings if you want.” The offer was automatic, pro forma. No one actually took me up on it. Except for now.

“Yeah, that’d be great,” James said. ‘Note to self,’ I thought. ‘Put music on James’ new phone.’

“What’s this?” I asked gesturing to the movie. The paused image on the screen looked familiar, but I couldn’t place it. 

“The Court Jester,” he replied. 

“Oh, I love that movie!” I said. 

“I know,” he said. “JARVIS told me. I asked for a recommendation, he picked that one. He said it was one of your favourites.”

“It is,” I said. “I haven’t watched in forever, though.” We sat in silence for a minute.

“Miss Bates?” JARVIS asked, making us both jump. “Miss Hall was wondering where you went.”

“Oh. Oops.” I turned to James. “We - that’s my quartet and the others - were going to order Chinese and watch a movie. Would you like to join us?” I hadn’t been thinking when I’d offered. I’d just asked, and I was terrified I’d gone too far. Had it even been a good idea to ask? But I didn’t want James spending the evening alone if he didn’t want to, either.

“Um,” he said. “I don’t…” 

“I’m sorry, James, I probably shouldn’t have asked,” I said, pulling my hair out of its pins. “Want me to save you some food?”

“No, wait.” I stopped, halfway off the couch, then sat back down. 

“What would we tell people?” he asked.

I thought. “We can tell them as much as you’re comfortable with,” I said finally. “We can tell them you’re an old friend of Steve’s. Or that you work with the Avengers from time to time. Or that you’re my roommate. Whatever you want.”

“Ok,” he said slowly. “And my arm?”

“A prosthetic?” I smiled. “Which is the truth, after all.”

“I guess we’d better let Steve know I’m coming, then,” James said, getting up and extending his hand. I took it and and he helped pull me onto my feet.

“JARVIS?” I said, “Would you let Jo know I’m on my way? And tell Steve he’s needed for something - I don’t care what, just get him to take the call somewhere private, please.” 

“Very good, Miss Bates,” JARVIS replied. 

“Who’s going to be there?” James asked. He seemed tense again. 

“It’ll be me and Steve,” I said, “Tony and Pepper, Clint and Natasha, Sam, and my quartet, Jo, Miles, and Yundu. They’re nice, I swear.”

“Eve?” Steve’s voice came over the speakers. “JARVIS said you wanted to speak to me?”

I glanced at James, who took a breath. “Hey, punk,” he said. “Eve invited me to come up and join you guys. And I want to. Any problems?” He was almost belligerent, I thought. Although it was all bluster, as I saw the uncertainty in his eyes, in his clenching and unclenching hands.

Steve sighed. “I don’t think it’s the greatest idea. But fine. What’s the story?”

James glanced at me, and I gave him an encouraging smile. He could do this. “We were thinking of introducing me as a colleague of yours and Eve’s roommate.” 

“They’re bound to run into James at sooner or later,” I pointed out. “Might as well be sooner.”

“Ok.” I could picture the look on Steve’s face. Right about now he’d be running a hand through his hair, staring a hole into the nearest wall. “See you in a few minutes, then,” he said. 

“See you,” I said, and JARVIS shut down the call. “Shall we?” I asked, and jokingly held out my elbow for James to take. He looked at it in confusion for a second, then smirked and slid his real arm through mine.

“Anything bothers you, any problems, you can get me or Steve. You know that, right?” I asked as we rode the elevator down. “And you can skedaddle anytime you feel like it.”

He gave me a patient glance. “I know, Eve.” Then his grip tightened on my arm. “Skedaddle, though?”

“What?” I said. “I like the word. Skedaddle. Skedaddle.” He let his arm fall from mine, and I kept talking as we exited the lift. “It’s one of those words that’s just fun to say. Like shindig. Or hootenanny. Skedaddle.”

“Hey hootenanny!” Miles called from across the room. “It’s chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny!” He saluted with his beer.

“Oz was way cooler than you!” I called back. 

“Reference?” James asked, walking very close beside me. 

“Yeah.” I grinned at him. “It’s from a 90s TV show called Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

“Buffy the what?” he grinned at me.

“Vampire Slayer,” I replied. “You’ll just have to watch it with me.”

“Ok.” He smirked.

“Eve!” Jo said, looking up from a conversation with Steve and Tony. “Finally.”

I glanced at James, who nodded. We went over to the trio. “Hi,” I said, a bit lamely.

Tony turned, then raised his eyebrows. “Well, if it isn’t the prodigal niece, returned. And with Mr. Fantastic.” I shot him a glare. He wasn’t being helpful.

“Jo, this is James. My new roommate.” I stood aside a little, watching James. “James, this is Joanna Hall. She’s the other violinist in my quartet.”

I needn’t have worried about James, apparently. He stepped forward. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Hall,” he said, shaking Joanna’s hand with his real one.

“Likewise, I’m sure,” she said, and actually blushed. I grinned. James was quite the ladies’ man. Steve pulled me aside with an arm around my waist and spoke in my ear, still keeping an eye on James.

“I talked to Stark about the phone. He said he can get you one in the next couple of days.” He made a face. “Not that he was happy about it.” Something in his tone suggested it wasn’t only the fact that James was getting a phone that Tony didn’t like.

“What’s Tony’s deal with James anyway?” I asked.

Steve’s face went grim. “You know he was orphaned when he was a kid, right?” My stomach dropped.

“You don’t mean?” I was grateful for Steve’s arm around my waist - without it, I might have fallen. Even with the support, I felt a little wobbly. Steve had just told me that the Winter Soldier had killed Howard and Maria Stark. “Oh gods. I had no idea.”

“Tony’s been surprisingly ok about it all,” Steve said. “He’s helped with Bucky, from a distance, and he’s seen Bucky’s medical records. He knows Bucky wasn’t really there.”

“Except that he kind of was,” I completed the thought wryly. “Poor Tony.” Jo was bringing James to meet Miles and Yundu. “Poor James.”

“What are you two whispering about?” Tony asked, coming over to join us. “I see you brought Barnes with you.”

“He was going to sit alone while we were up here having fun,” I said. “That’s not really fair.”

Tony humphed. “You, kiddo, are too nice.”

“On the contrary,” I said, “I am just barely nice enough.” I reached over to give Tony a hug. “And thanks for dealing with James’ phone.”

Tony didn’t say anything, partly because Pepper had just emerged, carrying two or three bags of food. Behind her, Sam Wilson emerged, even more heavily laden. “Food’s here!” he called, and every head in the room turned. Apparently some things were truly universal.

I moved to Pepper, helping her unpack the food, getting plates out, grabbing silverware. There was an extraordinary amount of food, I thought, looking at it all strewn across the kitchen island. We couldn’t possibly eat that much.

Then people started grabbing food. Clint vanished with a lo mein, three egg rolls, and a fried rice. Sam grabbed a beef and broccoli, an order of crab wontons, and something else I couldn’t name. I just stood back and let the rush pass - there’d be plenty left. 

Five minutes later, and the room was quieter, filled with the sounds of people eating, so I ventured near the food again, and spotted James in a corner of the kitchen, plateless. He noticed me as well, and gave me a half-smile, not the full ones he’d been using earlier.

“Hungry?” I asked, gesturing to the rest of the food.

“What are you eating?” he asked instead, avoiding the question. I let him. 

“I think I’m going for some fried rice,” I said, leaning for the appropriate carton, “an egg roll,” I reached again, “ and crab wontons.” I searched, leaning over the island precariously for the bag. I just had to reach one more inch, and - “Success!” I crowed.

Supplies at hand, I started to pile food onto my plate. I certainly wasn’t going to eat an entire container of fried rice. James was still beside me, so I glanced at him. He didn’t look nervous, or wary. Just curious. “Don’t tell me you’ve never had Chinese food before?” I said.

“I’ve had food, in China,” he said slowly. “But it didn’t look anything like this.”

“Oh, hon,” I said with a chuckle. “This isn’t real Chinese food. This is American Chinese food. It’s about as Chinese as Italian food here’s Italian.”

“You like this stuff?”

“It’s great comfort food,” I said. “People tend to eat it at college, or when they’re broke, or when they’re bored. Or,” I said gesturing at us, “for us, when we’re celebrating.”

“Um, Eve?” the uncertain note was back in his voice, so I turned to look at him. “Can I just try some of yours?”

I had to smile. “Of course,” I said, increasing my portions. “Fork or chopsticks?” He picked up the chopsticks and twirled them. I didn’t know why I was surprised. Super-soldier dexterity. “I’ll grab two forks, just in case.” I grabbed the silverware and my now completely full plate and sat at the near side of the island. 

We ate in silence, James eating at first slowly, then more quickly when he found something he liked. The egg rolls were both his, and he ate quite a lot of the fried rice. “Just leave me one of the crab wontons,” I said. “Those are my favourite.”

He looked up. “Sorry?”

“Nothing to be sorry about.” I got up and grabbed the rest of the carton of fried rice, and a few more egg rolls. When I got back, the wontons were untouched. I chuckled. “I didn’t say you couldn’t have them,” I said lightly. “I just said to leave me one.” 

He just sat there as I refilled our plate. And after I’d refilled the plate. I put a hand on his free arm, the metal one. He flinched. “James, it’s ok.” He looked up at me, the horrendous mask expression on his face. I wanted to bash my head against a wall. I put my fork down. Time to try something vaguely idiotic. I picked up one of the wontons, and, with stupidly trembling fingers, guided it towards his mouth.

“Trust me,” I said, and he opened his mouth obediently. Feeling like a mother hen, I inserted the wonton, then pulled away. He chewed, then swallowed. I watched as his lips twitched in a half-smile. 

“I see why you wanted me to leave you one,” he said softly, and I relaxed. James was back. He took another egg roll, and I picked my fork back up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day, lovely humans!  
> I hope you are having a lovely day regardless of your relationship status, and to mark the occasion, and so that I'm posting the appropriate chapter on the appropriate day of the month (this whole posting a chapter a day behind is really getting to me...), I'm posting two chapters today.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading and commenting!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-concert Chinese at Avengers Tower, Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are reading this on Feb. 14, please be aware I posted two chapters today! So if you haven't heard me talk about The Court Jester yet (which is in Ch. 13), go back and read that first!  
> Please and thank you!

“How’s it going?” Steve asked, coming over with an empty plate filled with food cartons. Six. All empty. 

“Fine,” I replied. 

“Why didn’t you ever bring me Chinese?” James asked, eyes twinkling at Steve. “Not that I minded the pizza, but jeez - egg rolls.” I rolled my eyes at him, then grinned at Steve.

“I think James has found a new favourite food,” I said drily.

“Noted,” Steve said, smiling himself. “Next time I come over, I’m bringing Chinese.”

“Just get six orders of egg rolls,” I joked. “I don’t think you’ll need anything else.”

“Why aren’t you over with your friends, anyway?” Steve asked. “I thought this was supposed to be a quartet thing.”

“I am with friends,” I said smugly. “I do happen to have more than three, you know.”

“That’s not what I -“ 

I interrupted him. “I know what you meant, Steve. I was just teasing.” I looked around, searching for my quartet. Miles, Jo, and Yundu were by the fireplace, still finishing off their dinner. We did have to do our post-concert review, I mused.

“You need to go?” James asked.

“I should,” I said absently. 

“Then go,” Steve suggested. “Buck’ and I’ll be fine here.” I looked to James. He was looking back squarely, waiting to see what I would say. 

“All right,” I said. “See you two later, then.”

I wandered across the room, stopping by Tony and Pepper on the couch to give them a wave. Pepper waggled her eyebrows at me. Of course Tony noticed.

“What?” he asked.

“Our girl, with the boys from Brooklyn,” she told him. “I realise that you don’t swing that way, dear, but they aren’t exactly…”

“Unfortunate looking?” I suggested.

Pepper nodded. “Exactly. Poor Eve. Forced to spend time with those two.”

“Something I should be worried about?” Tony asked, more seriously than I expected.

“No,” I replied. Tony knew about Spencer too. “No. They’re both nice guys, but friends.”

“Oooh,” Tony snickered, losing all seriousness in a second. “Friendzoned! Ouch.”

“As if either of them would go for me anyway,” I said, laughing. “Come on, Tony.”

“They’d both be idiots not to,” he said.

“You’re biased,” I told him, still grinning. “But I gotta go.” The others had spotted me and were waving me over. “It appears I have work to do.”

 

 

“Enjoying yourselves?” I asked, reaching over to steal Miles’ remaining egg roll.

“Hey!” I just grinned at him. 

“I still can’t quite believe it,” Jo said, looking around. “We’re in a room with Iron Man and Pepper Potts, one of the most powerful people alive. Not to mention Hawkeye and Black Widow. And Captain America….” She trailed off.

“I’ve been replaced,” Miles said, leaning back. Jo leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“You’ll always be my favourite cellist,” she said. “Although your new roommate, Eve,” she mused. “He’s rather dishy as well, isn’t he?”

“Dishy?”

“Oh, sorry, I’d better translate into American now,” she chuckled, then, in her best Valley Girl impersonation, “He’s like, oh my god, so, like, hot!” I pretend stabbed myself as I collapsed onto the couch next to them, laughing uncontrollably. 

When I’d finally finished laughing, I found myself watching the ‘boys from Brooklyn’, as Pepper had put it. I wasn’t usually one for muscles - Spencer had been tall and gangly - but Steve might be an exception. And his smile. He’d been laughing with James, and I caught his grin, all white teeth and blue eyes. He truly was a gorgeous man.

Not that James was any less handsome, I realised, finally seeing him as Jo must have earlier. He wasn’t quite as big as Steve, true, but he still filled out the green henley he was wearing admirably well. He had a great jawline, when his long hair didn’t cover it, and beautiful blue-grey eyes, and his smile, well… I knew I loved that grin. 

“James seems nice,” Yundu said next to me.

“He is,” I said. 

“And Jo was certainly enchanted,” she continued. 

“I noticed.” I looked over at Jo. “They’d make a cute couple. If Jo doesn’t manage to drag Steve into bed first.” 

Yundu grinned, then spotted someone behind me and blushed. I turned my head. Sam Wilson gave me a wave. I raised an eyebrow. “Falcon?”

“He’s nice too,” Yundu said, not quite meeting my eyes.

“Have fun, dear,” I said, and put all thoughts of romance out of my head. “Now. Are we going to discuss the concert at all?”

“Not without you getting a beer first,” Jo said, opening the one remaining bottle on the fireplace. I accepted, and we clinked bottles. 

“Toast?” Miles said. 

I had an idea. “In honour of the locale, how about Quartet Assemble?” I asked. Smiles all around. “Ok then, I said. On three. One… two…”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve goes for a run...

My feet pounded on the concrete as I sprinted the final block back to the Tower. Even if I wasn’t as fast as Steve ‘The Flash’ Rogers, whom I’d met on the way out for his own run and then watched disappear into the distance, I wasn’t slow. For a normal human. I pushed through the doors and stood there for a second, hands on knees, trying to catch my breath. 

Oh, but that had felt glorious. In spite of my lungs screaming for air, in spite of the burning in my quads, that last sprint had made me feel I had wings on my feet. I glanced down. Nope, no wings. Maybe if I asked Tony?

I shoved myself back upright and walked to the elevator. Once there, I checked my phone. The damn email was still there. I’d deal with it later. I opened the latest from Joanna, laughing as the pictures she’d taken from last night. There was the one of her, Miles, and Yundu framed by the Avengers - I’d taken that one, the one of Jo and Natasha kissing Miles on either cheek as he blushed, a shot of Yundu and Sam in the corner, talking. There was a picture of Tony, Pepper and I, sprawled together on the couch. I stopped on that one, saving it to my phone. We all looked so happy. I scrolled on, faster now, glancing at faces, smiling at half-compromising pictures, then scrolled back one.

It was James, staring at something off-camera. He was standing next to Steve in the picture, leaning against the kitchen island, but the bigger man was out of focus, blurry next to the subject of the picture. I wondered who James had been looking at, because I hadn’t seen that expression on his face before. It was happiness and sadness, awe and longing, all wrapped up into one expression. Maybe he’d been looking at Jo. They’d talked after our quartet wrap-up, after I’d been kidnapped by Pepper into showing her all of my latest London photos. They had seemed like they were getting along.

The lift opened onto our floor, and I took exactly two steps out of the lift before I was lifted off my feet and slammed into the nearest wall. Blue-grey eyes met mine.

“Eve!” The hands on my neck and across my shoulders that had been pinning me to the wall vanished, and I slid down the wall to my feet. James, in that super quick way of his, had dissolved away from me, was standing on the far side of the couch. “I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry,” I could barely hear him across the distance, so softly did he say it. I’d heard that voice before. That was the pain voice, the one that he’d screamed in one too many times. I put a hand over my throat - he hadn’t grabbed it too hard, I didn’t think, but it was still a little sore.

“Hi James,” I said, a little unsteadily. I didn’t think I could move away from the wall without falling, so I didn’t try it. I moved my head, wincing as I felt the pain from where it’d been slammed against the wall. 

James hadn’t moved. He just stared at me, waiting for me to do something. 

“I’m not sure I can move right now - I’m still feeling a little unsteady. Would you come over here?” I asked. He came, slowly, one foot placed deliberately in front of the other. He stopped a yard and a half away from me. I could see his expression now, even though he would barely meet my eyes. 

I knew that expression. Guilt, horror. I raised an arm. “Give me a hand to the couch?” I asked. He still didn’t say anything, but took three cautious steps closer, close enough I could put my arm around his shoulder. So I did, and his metal arm gingerly went around my waist, barely touching me.

I felt steady enough that I probably would have managed on my own, but the adrenaline rush, combined with my already shaky leg muscles, made me grateful for the help. I sat on the couch. James stood, still not saying anything. 

“Sit,” I told him, motioning to the coffee table. He sat. “I think we need to make sure you know when someone’s coming into the flat,” I said. “At least for now.”

His gaze flashed to mine and held, surprise on his face. I leaned forward slowly, wanting to put a comforting hand on his. He recoiled, and I leaned back again. “I almost killed you,” James said, still in that broken voice. 

“I know,” I said, a rush of adrenaline shooting through me. “But you didn’t.” Iwondered why I wasn’t more scared, then I finished my thought. “You stopped the minute you recognised me.”

“But…” he said, then stopped. “I am so sorry.”

“You’re forgiven,” I said lightly. “Now, let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again.” He’d looked down again, but he met my eyes once again.

“How?” 

“I’d suggest having JARVIS tell you when someone’s about to come in the flat for now,” I said. “And when we move, I don’t know. Maybe I send you a text, or I do a silly knock, or something.” I leaned forward again, and this time, James let me cover his hand with one of mine. “You’ve been through some horrible things, James. It’s going to take some adjusting to get used to living together, for you and for me.”

“I can’t believe you’d still consider living together,” he said, voice filled with self-loathing. That I could help with. 

“Miss out on a chance of living with a very handsome soldier?” I joked as I pulled out my head. “Come off it.” I unlocked the screen and started flicking through pictures again. “Look at this.” I sat on the coffee table next to him, pulling up the right picture. It was a picture of him and Steve, laughing at something or other, arms slung around each other. It was, in fact, rather like the picture Steve had put by James’ bedside in the basement, apart from the fact that it had been taken less than 24 hours previously.

“That,” I said, giving the phone to James, “is as much a part of you as whatever programming HYDRA did. And besides,” I said, shrugging, “You’ve yet to purposefully hurt me. I’ll take my chances.” He looked from the phone, to me, and back again. 

“I like this picture,” he said. 

“Do you want a copy?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He handed the phone back to me. “Thanks, Eve.” He wasn’t just thanking me for the picture, I could tell. I just leaned into him.

“What are friends for?” I asked, then I got up, quads protesting. “Now, I think I want a shower.”

“Ok,” I left James sitting on the coffee table as I went to my room, eager to investigate the rain shower.

Of course, I only got as far as undressing and pulling a towel out of the rack before I heard yelling from the next room. I dashed to the great room, towel clutched behind my back, to find Tony and Steve having a shouting match, James still sat unmoving on the coffee table.

 


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve gets mad

“How can you even defend-“ Tony shouted.

“She was fine, Stark!” Steve snapped back, cutting him off.

“How about next time, Cap?” Tony said. Steve started to say something, I couldn’t tell what, nor did I care. Pulling the towel around and actually securing it around me instead of clutching it behind my back, I walked up to them. Neither of them noticed. 

“Mind telling me what the hell you two are doing in my apartment at 7:30 on a Saturday morning?” I asked. Both of them turned, and both turned simultaneously red. I’d have laughed, if I wasn’t so incensed. Steve opened his mouth, then closed it. Tony, however, had no such inhibitions.

“We saw what Barnes did,” he snarled. 

“You saw?” I asked, voice rather calmer than I expected. “That means JARVIS has been watching us?” 

“For your protection,” Tony said, either unaware or uncaring of my rising anger level.

“JARVIS?” I asked.

“Yes, Miss Bates?”

“You will cease the surveillance on my apartment. Now.” I recognised my tone. I’d used it only a few times before. Once to send both Spencer and Natalie out of my bed and my apartment. Now I turned it on Tony and Steve.

“And you both.” Steve actually backed up. Tony stood his ground. I went for the easier prey first. “How dare you barge into someone else’s apartment without an invitation?” I asked softly. “Do not do it again.” Steve nodded.

“It was… a bad decision. I’m sorry, Eve.” I nodded at him. 

“And you, Tony,” I said, wheeling on my uncle. “Am I or am I not an adult? Did you or did you not see me handle this on my own? And the trespassing thing? It applies to you too.” Tony actually looked chagrinned. “I can’t believe Pepper approved of this.” I shook my head. “I wanted to try out that new shower, but obviously that’ll have to wait. Could you two please wait in the kitchen? I’m going to go change.” They both turned and walked to the kitchen. I moved to James, who was sitting, mask on his face, looking into the middle distance.

“James?” I asked softly, and he turned, saw me in the towel, then looked away. “Do you want to be part of the talk?” The usual pause, then he nodded. “I’m going to go change, ok? I’ll be back in a minute. What I said before still stands.” 

I threw on the clothes I’d just abandoned, then went to the kitchen. James and Steve were sitting at the bar, and Tony was making coffee.

“Want some?” he asked as I walked in. I nodded. Coffee wasn’t going to get him back into my good graces, but he was welcome to try. I sat on the lone unoccupied stool between James and Steve.

“Ok, folks,” I said, accepting the coffee. “Mind telling me what the hell you thought you were doing?” I pointed at Tony. “You first. No shouting. No name-calling.”

Tony took a sip of coffee. “I was asleep, thank you very much, not awake like you early birds, off catching worms,” he gestured at me and Steve. “Thankfully, I’d JARVIS to monitoring the cameras in here - not in your room, don’t worry,” he said, as I was about to explode.

“Because just watching James’ room and the common space is absolutely acceptable,” I snapped, then waved a hand. “Go on.”

“JARVIS told me when Ter-“ Tony looked at me, then switched words. “When Barnes threw you up against the wall. I grabbed the suit and came down here. Of course, by the time the elevator had grabbed Steve, who was on his way as well, you’d already gone to shower.”

I took another sip of coffee. Dear God. “Ok, Star Spangled Man,” I said, “Your turn.”

“I…” Steve said, then restarted. “I knew about JARVIS.” I resisted the urge to smack them both silly. “And I asked him to let me know if James…” he searched for the right word. “Acted on his programming,” he finally finished. “I guess I must have been quicker on the uptake than Tony, as I was awake and all, because the elevator came to get me first. Then it got Tony.”

I sighed. I didn’t want to deal with this right now, but I was apparently the only adult in the room. “You two do realise that if you’d just talked to either of us about the surveillance, we wouldn’t be having this chat right now?” Steve, then Tony nodded. “I grasp that you want to protect me, Tony,” I told my uncle. “I get it. And I get that you want to protect James. And me,” I told Steve. “But this was not the way to do it.”

I took another gulp of coffee. Gods the stuff was magic. “Are you both aware that James and I talked it out?” 

“Talked it -“ Tony started, then stopped. “Sorry, Eve.”

“Yeah,” Steve said. “JARVIS tried to tell us in the elevator.” This time I did let my forehead drop onto the counter. 

“Heavens save me from overprotective men,” I grumbled. “I’m not ok with the surveillance. It stops. Now.”

“Actually,” James said, and I turned. He’d shed the mask, I’d noticed as I’d sat, but I’d been to angry with the Do-Gooders Two to really pay attention. “Actually, Eve, it kind of sounds like a good idea. Having a watch on me, I mean.” His eyes flew to my throat. I figured a bruise must be starting to show. My heart broke a little. 

“Are you absolutely sure?” I asked, ignoring Steve and Tony. 

He closed his eyes, then opened them again, nodding. “Yeah. I don’t want to hurt you again.” I shook that off. Not important.

“You don’t mind if I set some restraints on that?” He shook his head. I turned back to Steve and Tony, who were still staring at James. “Ok. JARVIS can monitor the flat. But only for the purposes of making sure James doesn’t hurt anyone. And the people he calls if James does anything are?” I turned back to James.

“Stark and Steve,” he said. “Worked well now, didn’t it?”

“That’s one way of putting it,” I grumbled, and I got a half-smile. “Ok, Tony and Steve. Got that, J?”

“Understood, Miss Bates. The surveillance will be conducted as specified.”

“And if I tell you the situation is resolved and JARVIS confirms?” I asked the pair of them.

“No go,” Steve responded.

“Yeah, I’ll fall back asleep again,” Tony said. His gaze fell to my throat as well. “You sure you’re ok, kiddo?”

“Really?” I protested, shoving myself off my stool to look in the reflection of the refrigerator. Sure enough, if I turned my neck, I could see a darkening of my skin on one side of my throat. It didn’t really hurt though, and it was on the other side of my neck from where I put my violin. “Guess I’m wearing scarves for a week,” I said.

“And your head?” Tony asked.

“You hit your head?” Steve asked, getting up himself. 

“I’m fine,” I said, allowing the soldier to poke the back of my head. He was fairly careful not to tangle my hair, though, as he swept his fingers over my head.

“You’re fine,” he confirmed. “Just a bruise.” 

“Oh,” I said, remembering the solution James and I had reached. “And James and I decided that we’ll have JARVIS warn us when someone’s about to come in the apartment. That way we’ll have warning.”

“That way I’ll have warning, you mean,” James said, giving me half a smile. 

“Sounds reasonable to me,” Steve said. “Tony?”

“Yeah, yeah, Eve’s a grown up, she makes way better decisions than I ever will,” Tony grumped. I could tell his heart wasn’t in it, though. I came around and gave him a quick hug.

“I appreciate the thought, Nunc,” I said, using my childhood nickname for him. “But not again, kay?”

“You got it, Evie,” he said, hugging back. 

“Oh, and you have to tell Pepper,” I said. 

“Really?” Tony ran a hand through his hair.

“Really really.” I chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

“I’d better go, then,” he said. “With any luck, I’ll be done apologising by next Monday. Bye, Barnes, Cap, kiddo.”

“See ya,” I said for us all, and the billionaire vanished. I chuckled, thinking of Pepper’s retribution. I’d have to ask her what it was later - we’d planned on some serious retail therapy.

“So, do you have a plan for the rest of the day?” Steve asked me.

“Practice,” I said. “Shopping with Pepper. Not much. You? What does Captain America do on weekends, anyway?”

“He tries to avoid the public eye,” Steve joked. “I’ve got laundry. And there’s a football game on.”

“There’s always a football game on,” I shot back, grinning. Steve meant well. 

“I thought I’d hang out with Bucky too,” Steve continued. I had a thought I’d been meaning to bring up, and now was as good a time as any.

“I had a question, actually,” I said, curling my fingers around the coffee cup. Now I’d started, I was a bit nervous. What if it was wrong to ask this now? 

“Yeah?” Steve said.

“I’ve been wondering - James, you seem to really take to looking for places - I mean…” I drifted to a halt, then took a deep breath. “Ok, this is probably too soon. But I don’t know if it might help so, here goes.” I looked at Bucky, who seemed bemused at my lack of coherence. “Have you thought about what you want to do now? What you’d like to do?”

“Like - like a job?” he asked. I nodded. 

“I don’t mean you have to decide what you want to do, I was just wondering.” I was losing my nerve faster than ever. “I mean, I know I do better when I have a goal, a purpose. Something to work for.”

“I always assumed I’d be working for SHIELD,” James said, slowly.

“No,” Steve said, sharply. “I don’t want you going out in the field.” I glared at the super soldier.

“His life is his.” I said it softly. “Shouldn’t he get to decide?” Steve shook his head. 

“I still don’t like it.” ‘It doesn’t matter whether you like it or not,’ I wanted to snark back, but didn’t. It wouldn’t be helpful.

I relaxed a little. I’d asked the question, and nothing major had happened. “I just wondered,” I said. “I think I’ll grab that shower now.” I was starting to feel my neck throbbing now, but there was no way in hell I was going to show that in front of James, who kept looking at it and away, like a puppy that had been kicked.

“Eve?” James asked, reaching out an arm to stop me without actually touching me. 

“Hmm?” I was already thinking about other things. Like how awesome a scalding hot shower was going to feel. 

“What you did, earlier,” he said, smirking, “when Tony and Steve came in. Thanks. That was amazing.” I grinned.

“Now you know what happens when you piss me off,” I said lightly. “And what happens when you come between me and a shower.” I paused. “It helps when the people you’re yelling at care enough about you to back down. I doubt it’d work on someone who I didn’t actually know.”

“You’d be surprised,” Steve commented. “I wouldn’t mess with you.”

“Flatterer,” I told him, and went to finally take my shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you so much for reading this! You guys are amazing!!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone gets a hug...

“Wait what?” Pepper asked, hands cool on my throat. 

“It’s not so bad,” I repeated, stepping back. My throat had bruised, I admitted.  One bruise, the size of the heel of James’ hand, on the right side of my neck. “But I can’t exactly pretend it’s a hickey, can I?” I asked rhetorically, wrapping the scarf around my neck again. “I mean, apart from anything else, no one would believe it.”

“I can’t - I just” It wasn’t often that Pepper was lost for words. “I understand why Tony ran downstairs this morning like the world was ending,” she said. 

“No,” I protested. “No, you don’t get to do that! Tony was an idiot.”

Pepper sighed. “Ok, what’re we going to tell the others, then?” she asked. “You can’t exactly go shopping with us without some kind of explanation.”

“I was thinking of saying I ran smack into my new shower,” I said, glad she’d changed the subject. “It kind of works, and they should buy it.”

“Buy it?” James asked, coming out from his room. Pepper and I were sitting on the couch in the great room, catching up before we met Jo and Yundu to go shopping. He looked at my scarf. “You’re going to lie about me hurting you.” His eyes flashed dark.

“Unless I’m prepared to explain everything, which I’m not,” I said defensively, “I have to lie. Jo’s worried enough about my emotional health as it is.”

James sat at the far end of the couch. “Worried?”

“Spencer.” I sighed. “I didn’t handle it well. I kind of became an emotionless zombie for a few weeks. I’m fine now, but she’s still watching me like a hawk. ” I turned to Pepper. “Oh, and did I tell you? He’s coming to New York.” Pepper’s eyes widened. 

“Oh yes,” I continued, “He’s coming next week. Conducting the New York City Opera’s new Carmen. Apparently the conductor dropped out last minute. I got the email this morning. He wants to meet me.” I made a face. “I’ll have to reply this time.”

“You’ll tell him no?” Pepper asked.

“Of course,” I said, my smile holding no amusement. “I plan on telling him that I will not willingly see him while he’s in New York. As far as I’m concerned, if he tries to contact me again while he’s here, I’m filing a restraining order.”

“You may run into him anyway,” Pepper warned. “You do run in the same social circle.”

“I know, I know,” I sighed, “It’s music. The world is small. And I can probably get on with him professionally, eventually.” Pepper raised an eyebrow. “Ok, I’ll still hate his guts forever. I’ll be able to fake it, though,  sooner or later. But I don’t think I can handle being in the same room as him right now. It’s been less than a month!” My voice rose on the last sentence. “I shouldn’t have had to face him for a long time!” I said, head now in my hands. Pepper put a comforting hand on my back. It didn’t help. Stupid cheating Spencer. Even more stupid me for trusting him. For loving him.

“When does he get here?” Pepper asked.

“Next Thursday,” I said. “Can we forget about him until then?” I shook myself. “Let’s have fun today, ok? It’s supposed to be a girls’ day out, after all.”

“All right.” Pepper stood. “Meet you downstairs? I forgot, I need to grab something in the office before we go.” I looked at her suspiciously. I wouldn’t put it past her to do something horrible to Spencer. But I could also trust her to not let it splash on me or on Stark Industries, so I let it go.

“Ok,” I said. “See you in a few.”

“Goodbye, Mr. Barnes,” Pepper said.

“Goodbye, Miss Potts,” James said, standing. Pepper vanished, and I put my head in my hands again. God, was I pathetic. Just the prospect of seeing Spence again and I was an emotional wreck. 

“Eve?” I looked up, and James was standing right next to me. I hadn’t even noticed. 

“Sorry,” I said, sitting upright. James sat, carefully leaving some distance between us.

“I’m not…” he said. “Can I help?” 

“I don’t think there’s much you could do,” I said. “Unless you were to kill the bastard, which I think is a bad idea.” I smiled that humourless smile again. “Both because it’d be a waste of your time and a better death than he deserves.” I grimaced, reflecting on what I’d just said. “I’m not precisely merciful, James. Maybe Steve should have asked someone else to room with you.” I chanced a look at James, who hadn’t retreated into Winter-mode, as I was thinking of calling it.

He shook his head. “No, I think Steve chose well.” I had to smile at that, and he returned it. “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. That’s what friends are for, right?” he asked.

I chuckled, remembering that morning, when I’d told him the same thing. A thought struck me. “Actually,” I said, drawing the word out. Maybe I was asking too much. 

“Yeah?”

“I could use a hug,” I admitted. “But if you don’t want to - if it makes you uncomfortable, don’t worry about it.” 

“Uncomfortable?” he echoed. “Are you sure you’d feel comfortable hugging me?” He looked at my neck meaningfully.

“Oh please,” I scoffed. 

“All right, then,” he said, and scooted a bit closer, so our thighs were almost touching. Slowly, giving a snail more than enough time to back away, he put his arms around me, pulling me close. Instinctively, my arms went around his back, and I tucked my head onto his shoulder.

It felt nice, this hug. I’d been right, the previous evening - James was all muscle, and I felt him very carefully using hardly any of it as his arms tightened briefly around me, holding me as if I were made of glass. I hummed in response without thinking, tightening my own arms around his ribs. Then his arms left me, and we separated.

“Thanks,” I said. Why on Earth was I blushing?

“Don’t mention it,” James said. “Have fun today, ok? Tell Jo and Yundu I said hi.” He got up and extended a hand to me.

“Will do,” I said, taking the hand and lifting myself from the low couch. “You have a good day too.” I grabbed my bag from where I’d left it behind the couch.

“Yes, ma’am,” James said, smirking.

“Later, James.”

“Bye, Eve.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovely humans!
> 
> Thanks as always for reading and commenting - let me know what you think!
> 
> (Also, who else wants a hug from James right now? I know I do... :))


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quartet leave town, so Eve throws a dinner party

“It’s a nice place,” I said, calling to James in the great room. He was watching the footage I’d shot earlier, of the flat Steve and I had gone to see. “Not quite a Central Park view, but close.”

“What?” James called back. The mixer was whirring, I was having to shout to talk to him anyway. I looked down - I was half-way through the apples for the tarte tatin, and I shut down the mixer and put my knife down with a sigh, prepared to go and actually talk to my roommate instead of yelling at him across a room.

But as I looked up, James was there, tablet in hand. “JARVIS said I could watch it in here, on this,” he said.

“Oh,” I said. “That’s a good idea.” I switched on the mixer again, letting dough start to mix again. 

“What’re you making?” he asked, peering into the mixer. 

“That’s going to be croissant dough,” I said, checking it myself. It needed another minute or two.

“And this,” I said, gesturing at the apples, “is going to be tarte tatins. Tartes tatin?” I searched for the proper plural. “Three tarte tatins, anyway. The quartet’s coming over for a final dinner tonight. I told you that, right?”

James nodded. “I remember.” He switched on the tablet again, and I went back to my apples. Peeling them was always a pain in the butt, but the tarts tasted better without, so I peeled. The work was boring, so my mind wandered.

I couldn’t believe the quartet were leaving already - they were taking the direct flight to London tomorrow. They’d spent a week in New York, playing two concerts, shopping, sight-seeing. It was the end of an era. I was deserting them to stay here. They were going back to start rehearsing with their new first violinist, a lovely man called Kevin. My replacement.

The fact that I’d recommended him didn’t make the fact any more pleasant. I was just pleased they were all still friends with me, after I’d told them I was taking this job. And with this final dinner, our time as a unit would end. A new chapter would begin. 

I was due to start my new job on Monday, two days from now, and James was examining the last flat in the short list that we’d compiled, then had Steve, Tony, and Maria take a look at. Life went on. And I’d see my friends again soon enough.

“It’s nice,” Bucky said, and I looked up. “I think I like the second place better, though.”

“The brownstone - the one with the bay window?” I asked, switching off the mixer and making space for the dough on the counter. 

“Yeah.” I tipped out the dough and gave it a few quick kneads before rolling it into a ball and wrapping it in cling film. “I don’t know why, though - it’s not like it’s any nicer, or that the price is that much different -“

“It just feels like home,” I said, completing the thought. I finished wrapping and stuck the ball of dough in the fridge. 

“Yeah.” James’ eyes caught and held mine. “Home.”

“Is that it, then?” I asked, returning to the seemingly endless pile of apples. “Do we have a place?” I was prepared to wait, to sit out the time James took to make decisions, but I didn’t have to. Almost immediately he spoke.

“Yeah. If you like it, let’s get it.” He grinned, and I grinned back. Then it sunk in.

“Oh my god, we have a place,” I said. 

“Well almost,” James corrected. “We still need to tell them which place we want.”

“Yeah, but still,” I said, putting down the knife to do a happy dance. “We have a place, we have a pla-ace,” I sang, almost skipping around the island. James just watched me, a little smile playing around his lips and I started to feel ridiculous. “Congrats, roomie,” I said, standing in front of him.

His small smile broadened into a real grin again, one of the ones that completely changed his face. He looked so much happier, so much sunnier, when he smiled like that. 

“You too, roomie,” he replied. Then he looked over the counter. “Now, do you need some help with those apples?”

“You offering?” I asked. Just peel 8 apples instead of two and a half, I’d told myself. Easy. Three apples in, and my hand was already starting to cramp.

“Wouldn’t have asked if I weren’t,” he shot back.

“Ok, then,” I said, moving around the island again and fishing out another knife and cutting board. “We need the apples cored, peeled, and sliced thin. Think you can handle that?” James, who had followed, just smirked at me and picked up the knife. He twirled it twice in his real hand before tossing it so it flipped up past his eyebrows to land neatly in his metal hand.

“Showoff,” I grumbled, and shoved him an apple.

 

 

The tarte tatins were sitting on the counter when the others arrived. Well, two of them were. I’d sent Steve up with the third when he’d come to say hi to James and with papers for us to sign. I still felt a little giddy - I had a place now, in New York!

But tonight wasn’t a night for new beginnings. Tonight was a night for friends. And friends of friends, apparently, I thought, as Sam Wilson walked in, right after Yundu. I raised an eyebrow at them. 

“Hope you made enough food,” Miles said, giving me a hug. 

“Plenty,” I said. “I wanted enough for leftovers. And I swear James eats as much as any growing teenager. I can’t imagine where he puts it all.”

“He coming?” Jo asked.

“He’s here,” I said. “He told me he’d stay in his room, didn’t want to interrupt us.”

“That’s a shame,” Jo said, frowning. “He shouldn’t have to sit alone while we gab. And it’s not like it’s the four of us anyway,” she said, smiling at Sam and Yundu, who were lost in the view.

“Why don’t you ask him if he wants to join?” Miles suggested. “We obviously don’t care.” He sidled around Jo to the bowl of hummus and veg. 

“You sure?” I asked. 

“Go,” Jo said, shoving me in, it happened, the wrong direction. “We can help ourselves.”

“Kitchen’s that way,” I said, pointing, as I headed in the correct direction towards James’ door. He’d offered to stay out of our way tonight, and I hadn’t stopped him. I had figured it would be the four of us, after all. But what with Yundu and Sam obviously wanting to spend as much time together as they could before Yundu left - and how could I blame them? - I was glad Jo had pushed. It wouldn’t be fair, leaving him in his room while we all had fun.

I reached the door and knocked, three times, and waited. James opened the door and leaned against the doorjamb. I could see a book facedown on the bed behind him.

“Sorry to bug you,” I said. “But did you want to join us?”

He ran a hand through his hair, inadvertently showing off the muscles in his human arm. I figured he’d picked up the mannerism from Steve, who also tended to do it from time to time.

“I thought it was going to be just you four?” he asked. 

“Yeah, me too,” I said. “But Sam’s here, and besides, you’d have been here all on your own.”

“I don’t mind being on my own,” he said, giving me a half-smile.

“I know,” I said. “But anyway, we’re out in the kitchen if you want to join us, ok?”

“Ok,” I turned to leave, but James kept going. “Does this mean I get another piece of the apple tart?” I’d given him a piece of the one Steve had taken upstairs, and he’d demolished it in about 90 seconds flat. I grinned. It was great when someone liked my baking.

“Of course,” I said. James’ door closed behind him and he joined me as we walked back to the great room.

 

“Jimmy!” Jo called. “So Eve did manage to get you to join us, then.” Jimmy? I mentally raised an eyebrow. James didn’t skip a beat, though.

“Couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye, now could I?” he asked. I knew without looking at him that he must be smirking. I went to the stove to check on the food. 

“What’re we eating, oh Master Chef?” Yundu asked. 

“Nothing too special. Salmon and risotto,” I said. I bent over to check the salmon in the oven. “It’s pretty much done - five more minutes on the fish, I think.” I straightened. “Anyone want a drink in the meantime? There’s wine, and beer, and juice. And water, of course.”

“Wine,” Jo said, followed by Yundu and Sam.

“Beer, please,” Miles said. 

“Why did I know you’d say that?” I asked. Miles was the beer snob of the group, so I’d bought a few microbrews just for him. I reached into the fridge. “You, James?” I asked. “Want anything?” Then I looked up, and he was holding the door of the fridge open as I reached back for the beer.

“Beer, please,” he said, smiling gently. “But you don’t have to look after me, Eve. It’s my place too.”

“I know,” I said, handing him a beer. “But if I didn’t, who’d make you tarte tatin?” I grinned as I asked it, closing the fridge with my hip. 

James just opened a drawer to grab the bottle opener-cum-corkscrew. He popped the top on his own beer, then took the one I’d grabbed and opened that as well.

“Cheers, mate,” Miles said, accepting the bottle. He took a swig. “This is great stuff, Eve,” he remarked, looking at the label. 

“I got a recommendation from Tony,” I said absently, applying the corkscrew to the white wine. 

“How’s the house hunt going?” Jo asked. James and I shared a look - ‘do you want to tell or shall I?’ the look said.

“You two are like an old married couple already,” Yundu teased, and I saw Sam tense next to her. 

“Ha,” I said, trying to let the joke blow over, for James’ sake. “We just signed the lease this morning,” I said. “And we move in on, what was it, James? The 10th?”

“Wednesday, yeah.” I poured four glasses, for Sam, Yundu, Jo, and me.

“And you start work when?” Jo asked.

“Monday.” 

“So you’ll have a busy week, then,” Jo commented. I nodded, trying to smile. It still felt weird, talking about my new job, my dream job, really, with my quartet.

“What’s the place like?” Jo said, returning to her initial question.

James replied before I could. “It’s a two-bed, two-bath, a block and a half from Central Park - we’ve got the top floor of a brownstone.”

“Nice.”

“It’s gorgeous,” James said, and I could hear the pride in his voice. “And the living room’s got this beautiful bay window in it, and they just did the kitchen, so Eve can do her baking… It’s perfect.”

“It’s secure, right?” Sam asked. I wondered why he had asked, then remembered - he wasn’t part of the merry band involved with James’ living arrangements. I checked on the fish again. Looked good to me. I put a hand on James’ arm, moving him out of the way of the oven door. He moved as he replied.

“Stark’s putting in a top-of-the-line system. And Barton said he’ll take a look at it as soon as he and Natasha get back from whatever mission they’re on.”

“Nice,” Sam approved. “Sounds like you’re good to go, then.”

“Food’s up,” I said, interrupting. I was about to get plates down, but James beat me to it. I shook my head at him, grinning, then grabbed a big spoon and a fish slice. He held out a plate, and I piled risotto on it, then added a piece of fish. 

“Yundu,” I said, and he passed it over.

We continued like that, assembly line style, with me filling a plate up, then James passing it to its intended recipient. I gave James a double portion of risotto when it was his turn, and he grinned at me, taking the plate.

“Dining table?” he asked. I nodded, and he and the others went to sit as I scooped up the rest of the risotto and the last piece of salmon before taking my wine glass in my other hand and joining them.

James had sat at one end of the table, and the others had sat on either long side, Jo and Miles on one side, Sam and Yundu at the other. I sat at the unoccupied chair, surveying my friends. I was so lucky to have them in my life, even if three of them would be leaving tomorrow.

“A toast,” Miles declared, lifting his bottle. “To Eve - may you have a wonderful time in New York, and may you rack up a truly devilish amount of frequent flyer miles coming to visit us.”

“Eve,” everyone chorused, except me, of course. I was blushing and looking into my wine glass.

“To friends,” I said as soon as everyone had taken their drink. “Old and new, near and far. May we always lift each other up in times of trouble, and knock each other down when our egos get too big.” Jo caught my eye and grinned. I grinned back.

“Friends,” everyone said, taking another drink. As I put my drink down, I looked at James at the other end of the table. He was taking a bite of risotto and listening to whatever Sam was saying. Friends. Friends were good.

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James move in.

I couldn’t seem to get this one shift in tune.

I tried it from every possible angle. I tried isolating the shift. I tried sliding up and down, making sure I knew where the jump started and stopped. Then I tried playing it with a few notes before and after. Before I knew it, I was glaring at my fingers and the music, completely frustrated.

“Oh come on!” I grumbled, finally realising I wasn’t doing the shift or my patience any good, and moved on. I’d get the damn thing right eventually.

I started the section of Bach I’d been working on again, and was happy to realise that I did actually possessed the ability to play a few consecutive notes in tune. I’d only played as far as the second line of music when a knock sounded on my door.

“Come in!” I called, turning and resting my violin on my hip.

“Eve?” James stuck his head through the door. “Sorry to bother you. We need help.” 

“I was just getting frustrated anyway,” I said. “What’s up?” I put my violin on the bed and followed James out of my new bedroom, closing the door behind me.

“Sorry to bug you,” Steve said as I entered. He was helping James and I move in to our new place. I had to admit, it was nice to have two preternaturally strong men to do all the heavy lifting. Last time I’d moved, into my London flat, I’d done all the lifting myself. 

“We can’t figure out where the couch should go,” James said as I surveyed the room. The somewhat massive leather couch that James had picked out was sitting awkwardly in the middle of the living room. I felt a smile spreading across my face. 

“What have you tried?” I asked.

Steve pointed as he spoke. “We’ve tried it against the far wall, by the window, by the fireplace…” he trailed off, and I did my best to fight off giggles. Two grown men, clearly stymied by proper sofa placement.

“Ok,” I said. “First of all. Where’s the TV going.” Both men pointed above the fireplace. Of course they knew exactly where they wanted the thing. I moved into the room, trying to figure out where the couch should go. Of course, the couch itself was in the way, and I ended up, half-sat on one arm, judging distances. James and Steve watched me like they would have an especially interesting carnival act.

“Right. Let’s try this,” I said, standing up. “I think you two were already mostly there.” I pointed. “Let’s rotate the couch a bit this way, and, say, a foot closer to the TV?” James moved to one side of the sofa, Steve to the other, and they lifted, not showing any strain whatsoever. It was impressive.

“Try now,” I suggested. James flopped down on the couch, looked around, then turned to grin at me. 

“Perfect,” he said. 

“Good,” I replied. Steve had sat down on the other side of the couch, now he turned too. 

“Don’t you want to see for yourself?” he asked. I nodded, humouring him, and walked around the couch. I sat, more carefully than either of the men had done, precisely between them. There really wasn’t much space, not with all three of us sitting on the sofa. I leaned back and put my feet forward, resting them on the floor instead of a coffee table, and slid towards the floor, the silky fabric of my dress providing no grip on the leather of the couch whatsoever. 

A hand reached out and stopped my descent. Bucky had leaned over, grabbing my waist with his metal arm, and now his face was rather close to my chest, ice-blue eyes fixed on mine. We both froze.

“Jeez, Buck’” Steve chortled, startling James into releasing me. I slid to the floor, giggling helplessly. “Buy a girl a drink first, huh?” The end of the sentence sent me further into hysterics, and I ended up leaning my head on James’ knee for support as I gasped and laughed.

“Note,” I said as soon as I had breath, levering myself to my feet again. “Set up coffee table. Stat.”

 

“So,” Steve said, taking another croissant later. We’d finally finished moving all the furniture, and there were only boxes in the kitchen, waiting for me to unpack them. I’d made croissant dough and frozen it in the Tower, though, and the first thing I’d done after putting my violin away was to put the little crescents onto a baking sheet and into the oven. “When do you start your new job?” He crunched on the pastry, crumbs falling onto the counter.

“Christ, could you use a plate or something?” James said, pushing a napkin at Steve. “We’ve hardly been here a day and you’re already messing up the place.” I smiled fondly. Those two were absolutely adorable together. Jo was wrong. Steve and Bucky were the real old married couple.

“I started on Monday, actually,” I replied, taking a sip of the tea I’d just made. 

“And you’re here now?” Steve asked. It was 3pm on Wednesday afternoon.

“Tony never told you what my job actually is, did he?” I asked.

Steve frowned. “No, actually.” 

I contemplated another croissant, thought of the gown I needed to fit into in two weeks, and thought better of the pastry.

“So,” I said, taking a sip of tea instead. “I guess I’m kind of like a permanent artist in residence for the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera. The title is really more impressive than it sounds. I’m pretty much just an affiliated soloist. A few of the Phil’s other soloists had injury issues, so I’m filling in for them this season, as well as playing my own concerts. For the Met, I’m helping to organise chamber concerts with their singers, which I’ll be playing in as well. 

“And I’m also their first call to be an outreach person. Which means things like talking to donors, or going into schools, or giving masterclasses - stuff like that.” I grinned. “It’s kind of a dream job for me, actually. And, other than more meetings, my life continues pretty much as before - lots and lots of practice.” I looked over at Steve. “So that’s why I’m here, at home, on a Wednesday afternoon.”

Another thought struck me. “Oh, and I’m going over to Europe every few months or so, to do concerts there.” 

I looked at Steve, then at James. They both weren’t saying anything. “Cat got your tongues?” I asked, and Steve shook hiamself. 

“Sounds like you’ll be busy,” he said. I nodded and smirked.

“No rest for the wicked.”

“Any chance you’re free tonight? Sam and I were going to take Bucky out to a bar - a bit of a night out.”

“Are you sure? Sounds kind of like a boy’s night,” I said.

“Nah,” Steve grinned. “It was Sam’s idea. I think he just wants to bug you about Yundu and use you as a beard.”

“Steve Rogers!” I hadn’t known he even knew what a beard was. I cackled. Steve just smiled innocently at me.

“Ok,” I said. “I’ll be there. When and where?” 

 


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and the boys go to a bar...

“Yeah, yeah, of course I’ll tell him.”

“You realise I’m almost an hour late now?”

“Ok, bye Yundu. Say hi to the others for me.” I finally hung up the phone and stretched. I’d been thinking about getting ready to leave when Yundu had called. She’d needed a hand with my filing system - I’d given all of the quartet paperwork to her, and apparently I was a little eccentric in my habits. 

So that took a while to sort out, and then she started telling me about London. And how much she wished she were still in New York. It was nice to talk to her, so I hadn’t noticed the time until I was already a half-hour late. One frantic apology text to Steve later - I still couldn’t wait until James finally got a cellphone - who of course responded straight away, saying to take my time, and another half-hour of chatting later, and I was finally free.

I didn’t exactly have time to change now, though. I slapped another coat of mascara on, put on my favourite red lipstick, and headed out the door. 

I hailed a cab, giving the driver the address that Steve had given me. He gave me a funny look, which I ignored. I was too busy putting up my hair without a mirror. I’d had it in a messy bun all day, which was fine for hanging around the house, but for public consumption? I pulled the hairtie out, fluffing up my hair just a bit, then searched in my bag, grateful I always had a stash of bobby pins.

By the time we pulled up at the bar, my hair was presentable, and I was nervous. I wasn’t sure exactly why. I was only going to grab a drink with friends, right? True, these were exceptionally handsome male friends, but still. Friends. And I was helping out Yundu. 

‘You can do this,’ I thought, thanking the driver as I paid him and hopped out of the cab. The bar Steve had chosen was almost like a pub from the outside, and I was glad I hadn’t dressed up. I was probably already overdressed, in my silk sheath dress, bun, and red lipstick. Oh well. I pushed open the door.

It was a pub on the inside as well, all wood-panelled walls and dark paint. I looked around for the guys, taking a few meandering steps inside. It wasn’t quite a London pub, but it was close. The bartender gave me a smile, which I returned. I still couldn’t see either of the three guys, so I went up to the bar.

“I’m looking for my friends,” I said, a bit uncertain.

“You’ve come to the right place,” he said, flashing me a smile. “What do they look like?” Gorgeous, was my first thought. Every single one of them.

“Um, a blonde guy, a guy with long brown hair - “

“You mean you’re the one?” 

“The one?”

“Eve?” I saw James coming over, from a secluded spot I hadn’t seen on my first look around the room.

“Thanks,” I told the bartender, walking to meet him. “I’m sorry I’m so late,” I apologised. 

“Not a problem,” James replied, steering me to the table. 

“What did the bartender mean, about me being the one?”

“Steve told him that we were waiting for you, before we hid in here.” 

“You made it!” Sam said, getting up to give me a hug.

“I did,” I said, and smiled impishly. “Yundu says hi.” He gave me a sheepish grin. 

“Don’t hurt my girl now, Sam Wilson, y’hear?” I said, half joking, half serious. “I’ve got friends in low places.”

“I don’t intend to,” he said seriously. 

“Good man.” Steve had moved to pull up a chair for me, so I was sitting at the head of the table. He slung an arm around me in greeting before sliding into his own seat. Sam pulled out his cellphone, and grinned.

“What’re you drinking?” he asked me. “Yundu says that if I dragged you to a bar, I owe you a drink.” He glanced at the others. “And I guess the next round is on me too.”

“A cider, if they have one?” I asked. Sam nodded and moved off. 

“He really likes her, huh?” Steve asked, watching his friend move to the bar.

“And she really likes him,” I said, nodding. “I was talking to her - that’s why I was late, quartet business - and she kept mentioning him. Like she couldn’t help it.” Head over heels, I thought, the pair of them. I’d never been this close to the beginning of a relationship before. I hoped I didn’t have to see the end. 

 

“How’s it going?” I asked Steve and James. It was strange to see James outside of the Tower, or our apartment. 

“Steve’s trying to share all my deepest darkest secrets,” James grumbled.

“Oh really?” I arched an eyebrow. “Do tell, Stevie.”

“Well there was this one time in grade school where Bucky managed to…” James, who was sitting next to Steve, grabbed the bigger man and pulled him into a headlock.

“Don’t listen to a word he says,” he told me, grinning. I dissolved into laughter.

“Drinks are up,” Sam said, sliding back onto his chair, glasses in hand. “A cider for the little lady,” he said, pushing it at me. “And beers for the boys.” We clinked glasses and drank. 

“So,” Steve said, after we’d all drunk, put our glasses down, and sat in silence for a minute. “We really came here to watch the game.” He pointed at the TV, which all of them could see, but I couldn’t. Perks of a round table. 

“Which game would that be?” I asked, craning my head around. The TV was set to some sports channel or other - they tended to multiply like rabbits, so I didn’t really try to keep track.

Steve and Sam just looked at me. “World Cup,” Steve finally said, and I realised.

“Of course! It’s England versus Brazil today, isn’t it?” I groaned. “We’re gonna get hammered.” There were few things as consistently heart-breaking as being English during the World Cup. I heard a laugh and I looked up. James was chuckling at my expression.

“Don’t you laugh at me, Barnes,” I said, shaking a finger at him while I grinned. “The US won’t be far behind us.”

He just grinned back, unrepentantly. Suddenly, as if someone had switched off all expression in his face, he blanked.

“What’s a gorgeous thing like you doing in a place like this?” a deep voice asked behind me. I turned, not even really thinking he could be talking to me. But sure enough, standing behind me was a rather portly man in his forties in flannel and denim, holding what must have been the latest of quite a few beers.

“I’m enjoying the football match with friends,” I said firmly. 

“Football?” he echoed. He slurred the word slightly, clearly drunk. Oh dear. I could feel Steve tensing next to me, and I hoped he wouldn’t do anything stupid. Then I realised - the man couldn’t see my friends, hidden as they were behind the last bench of the row of booths, just me. “Oh, you mean soccer. Come from England, do you?” he asked, moving closer. Another step and he’d see the others, and I knew Steve and Sam didn’t like publicity. 

“Yes, I do,” I said, putting even more cold into my tone. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.” I turned back in my chair and heard him come up the next few steps.

“No need to be like that,” the man said, putting a hand on my shoulder. Before I could react, James spoke.

“Remove your hand, before I remove it for you.” There was no give in his voice, and I smirked, turning my head to watch the man’s reaction. He let go of my shoulder, raising both hands in surrender. His eyes widened as he recognised Steve.

“Sorry, ma’am,” he said. I inclined my head, not wanting to speak. I’d just say something rude and re-inflame the situation. He vanished, and I turned back around. James was up from his chair and at my side immediately. 

“Are you ok?” he asked. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” I was a little shocked at the look James cast at the bar in general. It was dangerous. Not his death mask expression, just, full of purpose. 

“I’m fine,” I said. “See?” I slid my dress over my shoulder, revealing black bra strap and bruise-less shoulder. “Thanks for the assist.”

James was staring at my shoulder. Had it been too much? It was just a shoulder - nothing explicit there. “Of course,” he murmured, walking around the table to his chair.

“So,” Sam said, returning the table to its previous conversation. “Anyone care to wager on the outcome?”

“We’re going to lose,” I repeated. “It depends how egregiously badly we play, but, 3 − 0, maybe? I wouldn’t put any money on it, though.”

“You really don’t think England have any chance?” Steve asked. 

“Watch the last few World Cups,” I replied drily. “England have consistently played like crap for the last three.” Steve’s eyebrows rose at the mild curse. 

“It’s starting,” James commented, and I turned. Sure enough, the players were lined up, lips moving to unseen national anthems. I scooted over a little so I could turn and watch without blocking James’ view, then settled in.

 

“Foul!” Sam shouted an hour later.

“Ref!” I called at the same time. “Use your eyes man!” We watched the replay. Sure enough, the Brazilian player had kicked one of ours in the shin with no ball in sight. England were down two goals, as predicted, but I was having fun. The boys and I hooted and hollered at the screen, along with the rest of the bar - Steve had chosen well - and I’d been left in peace after that first encounter.

“Surely a pretty girl isn’t watching the game all on her own?” I heard and glanced up. A 20-something man was watching me, Scotch glass in hand. I groaned. Not again. I could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I’d been chatted up at bars. This place was totally blowing my average.

I just wasn’t the type of girl that got noticed, I’d accepted. Unless I was super-dressed up, and maybe even not then. But this guy - he wasn’t unfortunate looking by any stretch of the imagination, all windswept black hair and dark brown eyes. But I was too miffed to really notice.

“I’m not,” I said shortly. “I happen to be with friends.”

“Friends?” the guy repeated, moving closer. I knew he was thinking friends with two X chromosomes. The guys were tense again, but I just shot them a grin. Sam relaxed, but Steve and James didn’t. 40’s morals at work, I supposed. 

I turned back just in time to see Prettyboy’s eyebrows shoot into his perfectly tousled mane.

“Wow, Captain America,” he said, suddenly looking ten years younger. Younger than I did, as a matter of fact. He held out a hand, moving forward. I was clearly forgotten. “It’s an honor to meet you, man,” he said. Steve shook, but I could see the false set of his answering smile. He really did hate this part of being a hero.

Prettyboy glanced around at James and Sam, clearly not recognising either of them. Well, that was good. If Prettyboy had recognised James, that meant trouble. But instead, he just asked Steve for a picture. “Would you take it?” he asked me, giving me his phone. I quirked an eyebrow at Steve in question, who nodded minutely. 

I took the picture and gave the phone back, but before I could take my seat again, James reached up and pulled me into Steve’s seat. Steve, who was saying something to Prettyboy, looked over at my half-squeak of surprise, then grinned. 

“We’ll scoot,” he told me, moving my old chair. I scooted closer to James, and Steve moved in on my other side. Now we were all invisible to the casual eye.

Four semi-invisible football hooligans. 

 

At the end of the evening, Steve pulled me aside before James and I split up from him and Sam. England had lost, 4-0. It had been a gloriously crushing defeat. He grabbed something out of his jacket pocket and pressed it into my hand. “As promised - you get to give it to him.” I examined the object. 

It was a flat rectangle that fit neatly into my hand, covered in wrapping paper. “James’ phone?” I asked softly, not wanting him to overhear. He and Sam were talking about the game anyway, so I figured they were occupied. Steve nodded. I smiled. 

“This is great, Steve. Thanks.”

“I feel like I should be thanking you again,” he admitted, flashing me his patented Steve Rogers grin. I waved it off. “Really,” he said. “You’re good for him.” He kissed my cheek. “Thanks.”

I just looked at the phone in my hand. “It’s my pleasure, Steve. Really.” 

“Well, good night, I guess,” he said.

“Night,” I said, and we moved the few steps back to the others. 

“Ready to go, Cap?” Sam asked. 

“Yup.” Steve nodded. 

“Later, guys,” Sam said, and the two men walked off in the direction of Stark Tower. 

James and I started in the other direction, back home. “Have fun?” I asked.

He nodded. “Yeah.” He looked over at me. “I didn’t know you were so into soccer.”

“Football,” I corrected automatically. James chuckled. “For two and a half weeks every four years, I turn into a major football fan.” I fingered the phone in my bag, having stashed it when Steve and I finished talking. We continued on another few blocks in silence. I enjoyed the silent company, looking around at the city.

This was the kind of exploring I hadn’t been able to do in New York yet - the wandering around, learning the rhythms of the city from ground level. I reached for the phone again. 

“James?”

“Yes?”

“I - well, Steve and I - we got a present for you.” I brought out the paper-covered phone. James took it, and I noticed for the first time how much bigger his hands were than mine. I could hold the latest StarkPhone, although it was a bit too large for me, but James’ hands practically dwarfed the thing. 

“Thank you,” he said, carefully sliding fingers underneath the tape to unwrap the present. I waited with bated breath as James exposed the rectangle of aluminum, metal, and glass. I didn’t want to say anything, so the silence stretched as James picked the thing up in his metal hand, the one covered with a glove for public consumption.

“A phone?” he asked.

I nodded, but he wasn’t looking at me. “I thought it was about time,” I said, half-jokingly. He did meet my eyes this time, and I forgot for a moment where I was, looking back into his blue-grey eyes.

“Thank you, Eve,” he repeated. 

“You’re very welcome,” I said, snagging the wrapping paper out of his hand and stashing it in my bag. We continued walking, James turning the phone over in one hand absently. 

“You’ll help me figure it out, right?” he asked after another few blocks of silence.

“Of course,” I replied. “As soon as we get home.”

“Home,” James mused. “Been a while since I had one of those.”

“Well, you do now,” I said. We both have one now, I thought, sneaking a glance at the tall man striding at my side. And I’m never letting mine go again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for reading! I hope you're enjoying the antics of Eve, James, and Co.   
> Let me know what you think in comments!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve does her job, then comes home for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so making this up. I have no idea what Carnegie Hall looks like backstage, or what the offices of the NY Phil look like. Just so you know - all of this is in my head.

 

 

I walked down the back corridors of Carnegie Hall, heading for Yves’ office. My heels clacked on the old linoleum as I strode along the character, the only sound I could hear.

‘Ding,’ went my cellphone, and my hand shot to my blazer pocket.

**I’m making dinner tonight. Spaghetti bolognese sound good?**  

I smiled. James cooking. That was either a good thing or a very bad thing. I’d been either making dinner myself or we’d ordered in the past week, not that I’d minded cooking. I’d rarely had such an appreciative audience, although he and Steve made making purposeful leftovers difficult. 

**Sounds great** , I replied. **I made dinner rolls and froze them. They’re in the freezer if you want to heat them up. Stick them in at 200C until they’re golden brown.**

I turned the volume down, about to put the phone back in my pocket, when I saw James had replied. 

**Great. Food should be ready by the time you get back.**

**Thanks roomie.** I did put the phone back in my pocket this time and walked the few steps to Yves’ office.

Yves looked up as I knocked on the door, which was ajar. He was the picture of an absent-minded professor, in his late fifties, rail thin, with wire-rimmed glasses. I’d yet to catch him in something other than a tweed jacket and bow tie. He stood, swinging the door all the way open, revealing another man sitting opposite Yves’ desk.

“Ah, Eve, glad you could make it,” Yves said.

“Of course,” I replied. 

“Eve, I’d like you to meet Otto Blumenthal, my opposite number, I guess you’d say, from the Met. Otto, this is Eve Bates.” I extended my hand, briefly looking the man over. Mr. Blumenthal was of an age with Yves, except his hair was going more towards white than towards Yves’ salt and pepper. Blumenthal was also, well, there was no polite way to put this, fat. He reminded me a bit of Boris Johnson in his almost ill-fitting black suit. 

“A pleasure, Mr. Blumenthal,” I said.

“Likewise, Miss Bates,” Blumenthal rumbled. “And please, call me Otto.”

“In that case,” I replied, “I’m Eve.”

We all sat. I wasn’t exactly sure why I was here. I guessed it must be about the fundraiser two days from now - the one I was up to my ears in. I was playing go-between between the party planners, of which there were several, and the musicians, of which I was one. And I was rehearsing and practicing for the concert.

“As you know,” Otto began, “The fundraiser on Friday is mainly both for the New York Philharmonic,” he gestured at Yves, “And the Metropolitan Opera.” He pointed at himself. “However, the, how shall I put this?” He waved with his beefy hands vaguely in the air. “Ah yes, the scope of this particular event, and the charities served therein, is broader than our two organisations.” I nodded. I knew that - I’d proofed the final version of the programs the previous day.

“And one of the organisations this fundraiser is supposed to promote is the New York City Opera.” My stomach dropped, and I worked to keep my expression politely interested. “Their new conductor for Carmen this fall - Spencer Coogan, you know him, correct?” I nodded again. “Is coming in tomorrow, and they wanted you to introduce him tomorrow.” 

Yves leaned forward. “Will that be a problem, Eve?” he looked a little concerned. Yves was a nice guy. He wouldn’t hold London gossip against me, and I knew for a fact that some version of our breakup must be floating around there. 

“Of course not,” I said. “I assume the City Opera will send me what they want me to say?”

“I expected nothing less,” Otto said, leaning back with a chuckle. “Certainly not with the lady who has managed to get a kind word from both my conductors and my singers.”

“They’ll be emailing you,” Yves confirmed with an approving smile of his own. “Now,” he said, pulling his tablet towards him. “Can we go over some last minute details?” I pulled out my phone, and Otto reached into his bag for a notebook. 

“The musical line-up is set, right, Eve?” Yves asked, scrolling through something on his tablet.

“Yes,” I replied with a grin. “Programs went to the printers yesterday. And next time, I think they’d prefer a little more notice as to repertoire, if we can manage it.” Otto frowned, jotting something down. “Meal requests for them also went in this morning,” I continued. “So that should be set as well. And I’d recommend not putting the musicians all together, or one at every table.”

“Reasoning?” Yves asked.

“With all of us at one table, we’ll end up talking shop all night, and that, although fun, isn’t exactly the point of the exercise, is it?” I asked. “And if there’s only one musician at the table, he or she will end up getting grilled all night long and will never want to do the fundraiser ever again. I figure if we tag-team it, we’ll get the best of both worlds.”

“Seconded,” Otto said. 

“I’ll tell Heather,” Yves said, making a note.

 

 

 

“So we’ll be playing this when, exactly?” Mark asked from behind the piano. 

I smoothed an errant strand of hair behind my ear and searched for the relevant piece of information. “Between the soup and the main course,” I said. “So, about an hour into the festivities?” 

Mark nodded. “All right.”

“I think we’re done for the night,” Lindsay said, looking over at me. “Eve looks done for.” 

“I’m fine to keep going,” I said. “But I don’t think we need to.” I glanced at the music. 

“Sounds good to me,” Mark said, standing. “See you all tomorrow?”

“The ballroom at 5 for a soundcheck,” I affirmed. 

“Got it,” Lindsay said. She checked the time. “Huh - I’ll get home to see my kids before they go to sleep. How about that?”

I stood myself. I was suddenly very glad I didn’t have to make dinner myself tonight. One more detail to address. “Did we talk about concert dress?” I asked, moving to my case to put my violin away. 

“I don’t think so,” Lee said, putting her viola away next to me. 

“Tux or concert black for men, gown of any colour for women,” I said. “So we blend in with the white-tie dress code.”

“Got it,” Mark called, already headed out. “See you tomorrow.” 

“So Eve,” Lee asked, pulling on her jacket. “Any plans for tonight?”

I went to grab my music from the stand. “Not much,” I said. “My roommate’s cooking dinner, and I have some details to finish tonight.”

“Roommate cooking dinner, huh?” Lindsay said, heading out with her cello on her back. “Wish my husband did that.” I couldn’t help grinning at her.

“We’ll see how it goes. It’ll be the first time he’s cooked.”

“A man who cooks?” Lee pretended to fan herself. “Marry him, Eve!” she commanded.

I chuckled. “Right. Whatever you say.”

 

 

**In the building, on my way up.** I texted, heading up the two flights of stairs. It was our modified system. I’d text when I was close, then knock like the beginning of Beethoven 5 - three fast, one slow.

This time, though, I didn’t have to knock. The door opened as I approached it, and I went in with a smile. It was good to be home. 

“Hi,” I said, shedding my violin and my coat as James closed the door and locked it behind me. 

“Hi,” he replied. “How was your day?”

“Busy.” I sighed. “It’ll all be worth it when I’m actually at the gala and everything’s going smoothly, but right now?” I pulled my hair out of its bun, and remembered Spencer for the first time since the meeting with Otto and Yves. “I’m frazzled.” 

“You’ll be great,” James said, preceding me into the kitchen. It smelled amazing, I noticed, all garlic and basil and tomatoes. James had set up two plates on our breakfast bar, with the basket of dinner rolls between us. 

“This looks amazing,” I said. “Thanks, James.”

“No problem,” he said, smiling at me. I tried to remember the last time I’d seen James wear his mask - last week sometime, I thought - a delivery guy had come to the flat. “Want a drink?” he asked.

“Not the kind you mean,” I replied. “If you’re up, though, could you grab me a glass of water?” 

“Sure,” James grabbed himself a beer from the fridge and me a glass, then sat down next to me. I picked up my fork and twirled the pasta onto it. 

I took a bite. “Mmmmm,” I sighed. “Delicious.” It was, too. The bolognese was tomatoey and garlicky and meaty, and the pasta wasn’t overcooked. “Yum.” I glanced over at James. “You’re cooking more often,” I said.

James smirked. “Ok.” We ate mostly in silence, James filling me in occasionally on what he’d done that day. Today it had been a physical with Bruce Banner, then training with Steve. I could tell he liked it, the soldiering thing. He liked that he was good at it, and I had a feeling Steve wasn’t going to get his way about James going back into the field.

“Hey, and can I get another music recommendation list?” he asked. 

“You’ve already listened through this one?” I asked in amazement. I’d loaded James’ phone with music at first. I’d included the favourite albums of all of the Avengers, as well as a few of my favourite classical pieces. James had listened through it in a day, and asked for more classical stuff. So I’d made another hours-long playlist, putting in more esoteric stuff - Mahler 6, some Wagner, some early Baroque stuff, some modern pieces I liked, and a Mozart string quartet or two. 

And now he’d listened to those in a few days. “I tell you what,” I said, having an idea. “I’ll make you another one tonight, but I have another recommendation.”

“Ok,” he said slowly.

“There’s this anthology - the Norton Anthology of Western Music - that goes through the entirety of classical music. Every single music student in the world knows it. And there are CDs that go with it.” I could see comprehension dawning. “Why don’t I give you my copy of those - you can listen through those, and then you’ll know what you like and what you don’t.”

“Ok,” James said again. He took another bite. “But you’ll still make me another list?” 

I nodded. “If you want me to.”

“I like your lists,” he said. “Better than Steve’s. He likes the Beach Boys, and power ballads. And jazz, which I guess is ok.” He grinned at me. “But I like Mahler better.”

“Man after my own heart,” I grinned back. “I have most of them - recordings that I like. You know you can listen to them anytime, right?” I wanted to double check this - I still worried James might be bored, at home on his own most of the time.

“I know,” he said. It was so easy, this friendship with James. Sure, sometimes I had to watch what I said, phrase things a certain way, and I worried about the guy. But he cooked an excellent spaghetti bolognese. And I trusted him. Unlike some people.

I remembered Spencer, and the fact that I’d have to say nice things about him, and glared at my pasta.

“What’s wrong?” James asked, peering at me over the remaining rolls. I thought a minute. Any other friend, and I would have spilled immediately. But James was still dealing with his own issues - was it fair to add mine to the list? I looked back. “Eve?” Well, I couldn’t lie. And I knew James well enough by this point to know he wouldn’t take well to evasion.

“I need to vent,” I said slowly. “There’s nothing anyone can do, I’m in a vaguely sucky situation, and I need to vent to someone. Is that ok?”

“Of course,” he said. He looked worried now. 

“I’m introducing Spencer,” I said, stabbing at my remaining pasta. “At the gala, two days from now. They - the powers that be - want me to introduce Spencer. To say nice things, and play nice.” I stabbed the pasta again. “Bad enough that I have to see him - be in the same room as him. I have to stand right next to him, let him touch me. Act polite, and say nice things.”

“I should be getting a frakking Academy Award for this.” I was on a roll by now. “It’d be nice, though, to get everyone’s attention - did I tell you, the mayor’s going to be there? - To get the mayor’s attention and tell everyone that Spencer Coogan is the Cheating Cheater from Cheatville, Cheatania. And that he’s a liar. And not worth their time. Or maybe I could borrow one of your knives, and stab him in the back like he did me.”

“Or maybe,” I said, “Maybe I’ll ask Steve to pretend to be my date - I know Spencer has a major case of man crush for our favourite Captain.” I stuck my head in my hands. 

“I just don’t want to do it.” I sighed. “Not that I can say no, really, without telling everyone the personal details of my life, which I don’t want to. I’d much rather pretend he doesn’t exist. And don’t worry. I don’t intend to cause physical or emotional harm to Spencer. The best revenge is living well, right?”

I hadn’t heard James get up from his stool. I just felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to face him. He was awfully close to me now, less than a foot away. 

“I’m sorry, Eve,” he said, and took a step forward, pulling me into his arms. 

I folded into his embrace, arms going around his neck as I rested my cheek into the curve between his neck and shoulder. 

“You’ll be great,” he said, tightening his arms around my waist. “The guy is obviously an idiot.” Spencer wasn’t an idiot - that’s why I’d liked him. He was just evil. But never mind. “And my offer to kill him still stands.” His voice rumbled deep in his chest as he said it. I knew James meant it. 

“Thanks,” I said, too comfortable in his embrace to consider moving. There wasn’t anything passionate about his arms around me. It was just… nice. And comforting. I felt safe. “I think he needs to stay breathing, though.”

James chuckled, and I felt it. He lessened his grip on my waist and pulled back. I sat up straight, letting his movement back pull my hands from around his neck.

We just stared at each other for a second or so. Then I hopped down from my own stool and gave James a quick hug of my own. “Thanks,” I said, on my tiptoes so I had some chance of speaking in his ear. 

“Don’t mention it.” He went back to his plate as I went to grab my phone from my bag. “You don’t have more work to do, do you?” he asked, as I returned, scrolling through the updated seating chart.

“Just a few things,” I said, smiling at the disapproval in his voice. The chart looked better, I thought, reading through it more carefully. I checked where I was - there, third table from the left, in the second row. I’d be able to get to and from the stage easily. I looked at who my table-mates would be - all anonymous. And no other musician. Oh well. Perks of the job, I supposed.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gala

I swept into the ballroom, red satin swirling around my legs as I walked. The round tables were being set as I surveyed the room, catering staff moving around the tables smoothly, unhurriedly, setting down plates and bowls. Off to one side of the room, there was a vast dance floor, the parquet laid the night before. I moved towards the stage.

It was a pre-concert ritual I always did, whenever I could manage. I picked up my skirt and walked up the steps on one side and went to stand right at the front of the stage, next to the now-dead microphone. I stood there, hands at my side, and closed my eyes. 

I stood and I listened. I listened to the clank of dishes, I listened to the movement of feet. Someone was wheeling something in to my right. I stood and let my mind go blank, appreciating the relative emptiness and silence of the space. 

“Eve!” My eyes snapped open, taking an automatic step back from the edge of the stage. Yves had just come in and was walking towards me. I moved to join him, picking up my skirt again to walk down the stairs. “You look beautiful!” I looked down. 

I didn’t like it, being told I looked beautiful. I never really believed it, even if I acknowledged that the person was being sincere. The dress I was wearing, though, was beautiful. It was scarlet red, strapless, and satin. At my waist a ribbon of darker red looked to hold up a layer of almost see-through iridescent tulle, giving the a-line skirt even more movement as I walked. I’d swept up my hair into a French twist and put in the diamond earrings Tony had sent me for my 21st birthday.

It was as good as I ever looked.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling. I could fake confidence. 

“And everything’s going well?” Yves asked as I reached him, air-kissing first one cheek, then the other. 

“As planned,” I confirmed, smiling. “So far, so good.”

 

 

A few hours later, and people were starting to trickle in. I’d supervised the last sound check, getting the musicians off the stage just before the first guests trickled in. I was already losing track of people’s names, and was glad that I’d practically memorised the seating chart.

“Miss Bates?” It was Heather, looking beautiful herselfin a black column gown. She’d found me hiding behind the stage for a minute, catching my breath.

“Hi Heather,” I said. “You look splendid.”

“Oh, thanks. You too - where did you get that dress?”

I shrugged. “My aunt got it for me. She refused to say where.” It had arrived on my doorstep last week, and I’d begged Pepper to tell me where she’d got it from. No luck. “Problems?” Heather was twisting her clutch in her hands.

“Um…” she looked uncertain. “I think there are people you might want to meet.”

“Ok…” I said, dubiously. Most of the people here were people I should meet. 

“Your table has just arrived,” she said. I thought I heard a different note in her voice.

“I suppose I’d better go and meet them, then,” I said, squaring my shoulders. Time to go see whom I’d be trying to entertain this evening. 

“Yves has them,” Heather said, leading me back around to the front of the stage. I spotted a familiar figure and grinned. 

“Evie!” Tony shouted as I neared. Yves turned and I spotted Pepper, Clint, Natasha, and Steve, all dressed to the nines.

I swished and leaned my way over, avoiding tables and people. “Uncle Tony!” I said back, giving him a hug. “You didn’t tell me you were coming!”

Yves looked a little confused, so I filled him in before continuing my greeting. “Tony’s my adopted uncle - his parents and mine were close before they died, and somehow my mom roped him into promising to look after me.” Yves nodded, still a little dazed. “I’ve got this one,” I said a bit softer. “Why don’t you go and greet the mayor,” I continued, nodding behind Yves’ shoulder at the man who’d just walked in. Yves gave me a smile and walked away, straightening his bow tie.

“You look wonderful,” Pepper said as I turned back.

“I had a great personal shopper,” I retorted, smiling. “Thanks, Pepper.” 

“Anytime, sweetheart,” she said, giving me a quick hug. Not that Pepper ever looked anything but perfect, her own blue Marchesa gown sparkling in the lights. 

“What did Tony bribe you with this time?” I asked the others, who also looked very stylish. Natasha outshone even Pepper’s elegance in a green square-necked affair that seemed to have been made specifically for her. Steve and Clint didn’t look shabby either, both in exceptionally well-fitting tuxes. 

“No one bribed us,” Steve assured me, smiling in greeting. “We wanted to come.”

“Well, he may have mentioned a night out without having to save the world,” Natasha commented, settling into the chair Clint pulled out for her. 

“Well thank you,” I said fervently. “I’m so glad you all came.” I did a count. Tony, Pepper, Clint, Natasha, and Steve. And me, which made six. But there were eight people per table. “Who else is -“ I started to ask, looking around, then stopped. 

Coming out of the back entrance were Sam and - my breath caught in my throat - James. Sam saw me and grabbed James’ shoulder. His head swivelled and his eyes caught and held mine. 

I’d never seen James in anything but casual wear - jeans, t-shirts, maybe a button-down shirt or two, but someone had made sure he had a tux. It, like the others’, fit perfectly, emphasising James’ broad shoulders and tall frame. He’d shaved as well, I noticed, getting rid of his habitual five-o’clock shadow, and it really suited him. Without the scruff, I could see the clean line of his jaw, the chiselled features that really belonged on a statue in a museum somewhere in Italy. 

He was, without doubt, the most handsome man I’d ever seen. And that included Steve Rogers.

Sam was pulling James forward towards our table, so our held gaze broke, and I was able to gather my thoughts. “I see them,” I said, gesturing. “Sam took James around back?” I asked Steve.

The blond man nodded, then grinned up at me from where he was sitting. “Surprise!” I smiled back. 

“You sure got me,” I said, glancing up at James and Sam again. 

I got another hug from Sam as the others ribbed him for taking so long, still a little dazed. James came over, giving me a hug in greeting. 

“You look beautiful,” he said, and I blushed. I was probably the same colour as my dress.

“Thanks,” I said. “You look exceptionally handsome too.” I brushed a microscopic piece of lint from his shoulder, noticing he had his usual glove over his metal arm. “I can’t believe you’re all here,” I said. It could have been directed to the whole table, but it wasn’t. I said it just to the dark-haired man next to me, hand still on the small of my back. 

“We all like you,” James said, looking a bit surprised. “And this is a big deal for you. Of course we’re here.” I smiled fondly.

“Of course you are,” I repeated. Then I reset my brain, back to business. “Right,” I said, clapping my hands once together in front of me. “I should probably get back to doing my actual job, I’m afraid.”

“Go on, abandon us,” Tony quipped. “Send over your most expensive booze. We’ll amuse ourselves.”

I chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good luck,” James said, just before I left. “You’ll be great.” I was looking at his face as he talked, so I saw his jaw clench and his eyes narrow. “And if you need help with _him_ , remember, we’re right here.”

I smiled. “Thanks, James.” I took a deep breath. “Everything’s going to be just fine.”

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More of the gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I jokingly call this chapter "Scenes from a Hat", after the improv game. It's essentially assorted scenes from the gala - the important bits...
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and commenting! The comments always make my day!

I was headed backstage when he spotted me. I’d seen Spencer come in earlier, with an elderly lady on his arm, but I hadn’t gone to speak to him. Otto had handled the greetings ably enough, and apparently Spencer had had other things on his mind than looking for his ex. But now he was free.

“Eve,” he said, running a few steps to catch up with me. “Christ,you look well!”

“Hi Spencer,” I said. “I’m sorry, I don’t really have time for a chat now - I’ve got to introduce you, then perform.”

“Naturally,” he said, walking alongside me. “But I wanted to at least say hello before we got up on stage together.” We were in a deserted hallway, so I stopped and turned to face my ex.

I was surprised when I saw him. I’d remembered him taller. And less gangly. He still looked fairly good in a tux, though, but I supposed I was now forever spoiled by the Avengers in formal wear. “Look, Spencer,” I said, “I am going to step up on that stage and inform everyone that you are a wonderful conductor and a colleague of mine. As far as I am concerned, that is what you are. A colleague, whom I will work with to the best of my ability. Whatever else we might have been is over. Was over long ago. Understood?”

Spencer sighed. “Understood. But Eve, I’d hoped…” I cut him off, moving down the corridor.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes. I have to go warm up.” And I left the man standing there, watching me go.”

 

I breezed into the room, almost running. “Sorry I’m late,” I said to the others, who were already there. “I got waylaid.”

“No problem,” Lindsay said, putting some more rosin on her bow. 

“Love the dress,” Lee said. 

“Yours too,” I replied. Lee was a vision in a one-shouldered blue affair which showed off her tiny figure.

I opened my case and set to work. I unstrapped my violin and flipped it over to put on the shoulder rest, then unlatched my bow, tightening it. I should be fairly warm - I’d sneaked in a few minutes of playing before the whole shindig started. I played a few scales, facing into a corner as the others did their own warming up.

I was practicing the beginning of the movement when Otto poked his head through the door. “Eve?” he asked. “You’re up.” I nodded, handing my music to Lee, who’d bring it up along with her own.

“Good luck!” Mark called, echoed by the girls as I exited the room. 

“You’ll grab them as well in a minute?” I asked Otto, who nodded.

“Do not worry, Eve. It is all taken care of.” Spencer stood in front of us, almost exactly where I’d left him only a few minutes earlier. He offered me his arm, but I refused.

“I’m afraid I don’t want to trip over the stairs,” I said, gesturing to the violin in my other hand, “and I need a free hand.” Spencer nodded, joining us.

“I’ll introduce you, and you’ll introduce Mr. Coogan,” Otto said as we made it behind the stage. 

“Toi toi,” I told the portly man, who took a deep breath and walked around the side of the stage to rippling applause. I took a few steps forward and peered around the edge of the stage.

“Hello, good evening,” Otto said into the microphone. “I hope you’re all having a pleasant evening.” Someone said something, and the crowd laughed. “That’s good to hear,” Otto continued. “It is my great pleasure, tonight, to introduce someone who, although she arrived in New York less than a month ago, has already begun to make her mark on the classical music scene. 

“Eve Bates is a wonderful musician, a great violinist, and a lovely colleague to work with, and I hope we will be seeing a lot more of her here in New York.” I stepped forward as the applause broke out, nervously excited smile plastered to my face.

The spotlight followed me as I made it up the three steps onto the stage - without falling, thank you very much - Spencer following to stand on the steps behind me. 

“Go Eve!” I heard Barton call, and my smile broadened as I heard Tonyand Sam hoot as well. 

I stepped up to the mic. “It’s so nice to be here,” I said, the applause quieting. “I’ve had such a warm welcome to New York, I can scarcely believe it, so thank you very much.” Another round of applause broke out, and I cradled my violin in front of me. “But tonight isn’t about me. It’s about all of the wonderful classical music this city has to offer. And there’s a lot of it, too,” I said with a grin, and was rewarded with a chuckle. 

“It’s my pleasure tonight to introduce to you the man who will be conducting the New York City Opera’s production of Carmen in a month’s time. He’s an esteemed colleague of mine, and an excellent conductor, and the Opera thought it might be an idea if I let you know who he is before he’s caught up in rehearsals.”

I took a breath, launching into the prepared speech the opera had sent me. “Spencer Coogan is an Indiana University trained conductor who travels worldwide directing orchestras. He has conducted all the major orchestras in the UK, as well as the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and DWR Radio Orchestra. Next year he’s headed to Asia for the first time, conducting in Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.”

Spencer had begun walking up the steps when I mentioned his name, and was now standing next to me.

“So, ladies and gentlemen,” I finished, glad Spence hadn’t tried to put an arm around my waist or something like that, “it’s my pleasure to introduce to you Spencer Coogan.” I grinned. “Be sure to ask him about his first time conducting Carmen.” 

Spencer made a face at me, but I knew it was all for show - he loved telling the story of his disastrous first time conducting Carmen. I faded backwards and he stepped up to the mic, saying a few words himself. Behind him, Lee, Lindsay, and Mark trouped up the stairs. We settled into our chairs as Spencer finished speaking and retreated to a round of applause. 

Mark played an A, and we all quickly checked our tuning. I didn’t have to move any of my pegs, thank goodness, and neither did Lee or Lindsay. With a final check to make sure everyone was ready, I cued us in.

As usual during a performance, my mind was everywhere. I was looking at Mark’s fingers, then I was glancing at the music. Then I glanced at my own fingers, then at the music again. 

We made it through the first twenty or so bars, and my mind started to wander from the music just a bit. I glanced out into the audience, wondering if I could spot my table. But the lights were too bright, and I gave up quickly. I concentrated on the music again, losing myself in the melodies and harmonies.

We ended the piece to raucous applause, and I stood with the others. I met Lindsay’s eye and we bowed. I knew I had my usual post-concert grin plastered to my face, but I didn’t care as I practically skipped down the stairs. Otto pushed us up the stairs again, and we turned and bowed again. I was about to go back offstage when someone appeared with bouquets. I accepted mine and stuck my nose into it, appreciating the lilies and the roses. 

 

 

“Where’d the flowers go?” Tony asked as I reached the table again, standing to give me a hug.

“Left them in the dressing room in a vase,” I said. 

“Great job, kiddo,” Tony said, releasing me. 

“Yes, it sounded wonderful,” Pepper said. The others agreed, Natasha toasting me with her champagne glass.

“And you managed not to kill Spencer,” Pepper commented as I sat. “Well done, dear.”

“He’s not worth my time,” I said coldly, reaching for my own glass. James reached out and put an arm around my shoulders in a one-armed hug.

“I think I like your version better than the recording,” he said, releasing me. I’d put a version of the movement we’d just played into James’ latest playlist, and I smiled.

“You flatter me,” I told him, leaning briefly into the embrace before he let me go.

“So are you done for the night now?” Steve asked from next to James.

I nodded. “I mean, I still need to play nice with everyone here, but the hard part’s done.”

“What’s left?” Natasha asked from across the table, digging into her steak.

“Some singers from the Met are doing a few arias,” I replied, starting on my own entree. “Then Otto - the guy that introduced me - is giving a bit of a speech. Then dancing.”

Everyone’s head shot up at that. I grinned. “Come on, guys. You didn’t think we’d have an empty wooden floor and not dance on it, did you?”

“I purposefully didn’t think about it,” Tony grumbled.

“I call at least one dance with you,” I told him. “Besides,” I leaned over and whispered. “I know you really like dancing with Pepper, even if she is taller than you.”

“Lies,” he shot back, eyes sparkling. “All lies. How did I end up with such a niece?”

“Bad luck?” I suggested. 

Suddenly Clint leaned back, neatly avoiding Natasha’s slap. We all looked at them. 

“Now, now,” Clint drawled, completely relaxed. “All I said is that your cover was younger in Budapest. Not that you looked younger.” Natasha still glared daggers at him as we laughed. 

 

 

“I think it’s going rather well,” Yves said to me as we stood at the edge of the dance floor. The floor was flooded with couples, so much so that people were having issues moving around. 

“I think so,” I said with a grin. I’d been right - once the evening had started, I’d had a fairly good time. And having Tony and James and the others there was icing on the cake. 

“Well, good work, Eve,” Yves said, patting me on the shoulder. 

“Thanks, boss,” I grinned.

“Have some fun - you’ve earned it.” He moved away and disappeared into the crowd, and I remained were I was, arms crossed in front of my stomach, watching the dancers. I’d already danced with Tony, and with Sam and Steve, which had been fun. I’d been asked to dance by a few investment brokers and a high-powered lawyer, as well as a trust-fund baby, although the last had been a wash. He’d been drunk, and I’d had to tactfully find a way to get him back to his table.

“Eve,” a voice said next to me. I looked around and spotted Spencer. Oh great. Just wonderful. How hadn’t I noticed him coming up to me? “Thanks for the introduction,” he said, casting a glance over the dancers. “This is a great do,” he said, sidling ever closer.

Just don’t ask me to dance, don’t ask me to dance, don’t ask me to dance, I thought desperately.

“I screwed up,” Spencer said, and my head jerked around, meeting his gaze. “Natalie left me for the new guest conductor of the RPO. And I lost you.”

“You didn’t lose me,” I said, softly but heatedly. “You cheated. Your fault.”

“My fault,” he agreed. “All my fault, Eve.” I couldn’t quite believe it. Spencer Coogan, man with an ego the size of Texas, was admitting fault and apologising. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. He looked into my eyes. “And, I know I don’t deserve this, and I’m probably asking too much, but, might you, at some point, be able to forgive me?”

My hands were clenched even tighter around my middle. “I don’t think I can forgive that, Spence,” I replied, softly. “You tore my heart out. And you broke my trust. You can’t just undo that with a wave of your magic wand.”

“At least think about it?” he asked. It was a reasonable request, I supposed, but I felt my eyes filling with tears. Spencer would not see me cry, I resolved. My eyes closed, then reopened.

“I don’t know, Spencer. Thinking about you hurts. And I have a new life here, with new friends.”

An arm slid around my waist, and I knew immediately who it was. 

“James Barnes, I’d like you to meet Spencer Coogan,” I said, curling my own arm around James’ waist. 

I almost laughed as Spencer looked James up and down. They were practically the same height, but James was much broader, more handsome. He looked like he could tear Spencer in half without breaking a sweat.

“Nice to meet you, mate,” Spencer said, finally, extending a hand. James’ right arm was around my waist, but he didn’t remove it, instead shaking with his left hand, the metal one. 

“I wish I could say the same, but I’d be lying,” James said conversationally. Spencer bristled, and I tensed. James glanced over at me, smiling briefly, so I let him say his piece. “I know, Eve’s uncle Tony, the Avengers, we all know what you did to Eve. So let me just say, for all of us, that if you hurt her again, we will hunt you down. Understood?” I rather enjoyed the expression on Spencer’s face as he realised who my ‘uncle Tony’ must be. And then the growing fear when he understood the clear and imminent danger to his person.

“Now,” James said to me, when it was clear Spencer wasn’t going to speak anytime soon. “Eve, would you like to dance?”

“I’d love to,” I replied, and was rewarded by one of James’ real smiles. James pulled me onto the floor, into the mass of couples. His right hand found its way to my shoulder blade and he took my right hand in his left. 

I shouldn’t have been surprised that James knew how to dance, or at least, dance as much as was possible on this dance floor, but I was. We moved in silence for a while, and I just enjoyed the feeling of dancing with James. It felt like we were floating on the floor, and so skilfully did he lead me that we never bumped into another couple.

“So,” James said into my ear. “Are you ok?” I turned my head to look at him and smiled. He looked a little stunned.

“Never better,” I said. “You have perfect timing.”

“Sorry I didn’t get there sooner,” he said. “Steve signalled me, but I was at the table.”

“Steve told you?” I asked. I started to think about that, then I just chuckled. They’d been best friends for almost a century now. Of course they’d have some way of signalling each other.

Suddenly James pulled me close, stopping suddenly. I felt an arm graze my back, but it was the least of my worries. I was suddenly flush against James, bodies touching from waist to chest. Heat flooded my body as my heart started to pound. 

Then the moment passed, and James released the pressure on my back, stepping back himself. We continued dancing. 

“What poison was the slimeball dripping in your ear?” James asked, voice going gruff.

“He was apologising, actually.” I shrugged. “And he wanted me to forgive him.” James’ arm tightened around me. “Never going to happen, don’t worry.” I made a face. “I think he’s just lonely, here in the big city with no friends.” I said the last sentence with as much scorn as I could muster, which was quite a lot, actually.

“Too bad.” James almost growled it, and I giggled. 

“Agreed.”

 

 

“You’re taking the car,” Tony said. “No arguments.” The party was finally done, and we were all standing on the street in front of Happy and the car.

“I can take a cab,” I protested. “It’s your car!”

“We can get a cab too,” Tony said firmly. I knew that tone. I wasn’t going to win. Tony must have sensed victory, because he went on. “Take the good Inspector and get yourself home, Eve.”

“Inspector?” I asked. “Ok, fine. Thank you.” I looked at the others. “Thank you all so much for coming. Really - I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

“We had fun,” Natasha said, actually giving me a hug. I may have squeaked. She just grinned at me.

“Get home safe,” Steve said in goodbye.

“I’m so proud of you,” Pepper said, giving me a hug. 

“Love you, Aunt Pepper,” I whispered back. 

“I’ll never get used to you calling me that,” she said. “Love you too, honey.”

The others left, and James and I were left, standing next to the car. 

 

 

 


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and Sam go for a run.

I panted as I tried to keep up with Sam. This was supposed to be his easy run, goddamn it! With an effort of pure will, I sprinted a couple of strides to pull level with the lazily running man.

“Now you know how it feels when I run with Steve,” he said, looking over and smirking. 

“Pure unadulterated hatred?” I managed to gasp out. “Because I hate you Sam, right now. So much.”

He just chuckled. “As Steve to tell you how we met. If I ever hear ‘on your left’ one more time…”

I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Sam ran a hell of a lot faster than I did, and I was gasping for breath. “So you run with Steve?” I manage to ask. Maybe if he talked, he’d run slower.

“Once a week, like I do with you. Except that it’s his easy run, and my hard one.” It was my turn to run, picturing Sam sprinting next to a jogging Steve, sweat on his face instead of mine, him desperately trying to keep up. “I figured I’d spread the pain.”

Sam and I had been running together for a week or two now, when he wasn’t busy with a mission. And even though I hated to make myself run fast when I was alone, running with Sam made the gasping feeling in my lungs almost fun. We continued through the park, me scampering every hundred yards to keep up, until we reached the bridge that was our turnaround point. Sam stopped and I leaned my hands on my knees, breathing hard. 

“Nice job,” Sam said. There was an odd note in his voice, so I turned my head to peer up at him, not willing to stand up properly yet. He looked at me, then away. Usually he only got that shifty when it was about Yundu, so I stood, still catching my breath.

“Something wrong, Wilson?” I asked. “You and Yundu having problems?”

“What?” he asked. “No! God no. No,” a dreamy smile spread across his face. “No, we’re good. I’m going to see her in a few weeks, did she tell you?”

“Yeah, she told me,” I said, grinning back. “Only about a hundred times. She’s excited to see you, but I guess you know that.”

 

Sam smiled, then looked troubled again. “Out with it, Sammy,” I said. “Something’s got your panties in a twist.”

He started running again, slower this time, and I kept pace with him. “You know Barnes has been training with us, right? Me, Steve, the Avengers?” he asked. 

“He’s told me,” I confirmed. James went over to the Tower most days, and I had the feeling he’d be confronting Steve about going on missions any day now. I definitely wasn’t looking forward to that fight. 

“So you know I see him on a fairly regular basis.”

“Yes,” I said slowly. Sam was clearly laying the groundwork for something, something I probably wasn’t going to like. “So?”

“So he…” We ran past an old lady walking her Beagle. “So he talks about you a lot,” Sam finished.

“And?” I was really confused now. 

“Like a lot a lot. About dinners he wants to make. Or plans for another movie night. And about how talented you are.” Sam turned his head, briefly, to look at me. “I think he likes you, Eve.”

“Bullshit,” I spat as soon as Sam finished his sentence. “We’re just “

“Friends?”

“Yes, friends,” I shot back. “Friends and roommates. If you hadn’t noticed, I only have one roommate, and only a few close friends, most of whom live at the Tower.” I took a breath, necessary now at the speed we were running. “And as far as I know, James doesn’t have many more friends than I do. So we’re close. So what?”

“So I saw him when he spotted you in that dress,” Sam said. “That wasn’t platonic.” He sighed. “You know I worked at the VA, right? Counselling vets?”

“Sure.”

“Well, I got to hear a bit about relationships returning vets had with civilians. They usually didn’t end well. Either the vet wouldn’t adjust well, or the civilian would have some wrong idea about the vet - I don’t remember one case of it working out well.”

I was angry now, not focusing any more on my legs straining or my lungs burning. “You think I’m that much of an idiot, Sam?” I asked. “That I’d get careless and break James’ heart? He’s my friend. Not that you get what that means apparently. I would never do anything to hurt him.”

“I just don’t want either of you getting hurt,” Sam said, a bit desperately. “You’re both a bit… fragile, still.”

“You’ve been talking to Yundu,” I said flatly. I knew she thought I was still recovering from Spencer. Which I might have been, but I didn’t even think about him anymore unless she brought him up. I was doing just fine, thank you very much. “And all of this is beside the fact that I don’t believe there’s anything other than friendship in my relationship with James. On either side.” I thought back to all the time I’d spent with James. Every touch, every gesture. All completely above-board. Gentlemanly, friendly.“You know Steve’s stories about old James - if he liked a girl now, don’t you think he’d be fairly obvious about it?”

“People change,” Sam said. 

“Right,” I drawled. I had another thought. “And what precisely do you suggest I do about it?” I asked, voice dripping with scorn.

Silence.

“That’s right, Sam Wilson,” I said flatly. “You can’t name a thing that either of us have done that wasn’t done in the name of friendship. And I’m not about to lose one of my best friends just because someone else is worried - wrongly, I might add - that I might lead him on.”

We ran on in silence, me silently pushing the pace. Something other than exercise stress was building in my throat, and I just wanted to get home, to be alone. 

“Sorry, Eve,” Sam said. “It was wrong to bring it up.” We ran another few hundred meters in silence. 

“Apology accepted,” I said. “Can we drop it now?”

“Consider the subject dropped,” Sam said, and we turned and reached the edge of the park, where our routes diverged. “See you at movie night?” Tony had invited the whole gang over to the Tower for pizza and movies.

“Sure thing,” I said, still a little tetchy. I managed a wan smile though, as Sam vanished off into the distance. I stared off at my way home, not moving for the minute.

Then I started to run. I started off at a jog, then a run, then I increased my pace even further, pushing so that I was somewhere between running and flat-out sprinting. I ran and ran, avoiding cars, not wanting to think, not wanting to deal with the tears that were threatening to spill over, or the knot that had suddenly grown in my stomach. Finally, three blocks from home, I was spent. 

I leaned against a tree, trying to catch my breath. Normally I never worked out so hard - I wasn’t an Avenger - I didn’t like pushing my physical limits. But this time I almost welcomed the pounding of my heart. It almost let me forget the knot that still stuck just above my diaphragm.

Sam had been right, in a way, I thought, finally admitting it, at least to myself. I still didn’t believe James saw me as anything but a friend. I mean, apart from anything else, he was one of the embodiments of male perfection and I was, well, me. All flabby stomach and flat runner butt, lacklustre blonde hair and unspectacular face. Not ugly, but not anywhere near his league. 

But that didn’t mean I didn’t feel something for James, ill-advised as it was. I thought back to the gala, how handsome James had looked. How amazing it had felt, to have his arms around me as we’d danced. How he’d help save me from Spencer, how his voice felt when it rumbled just next to my ear. 

As idiotic as it was, as stupid, as silly as it no doubt was to fall in love after only a few weeks, I was. I was in love with James Buchanan Barnes. I loved how his face lit up when it smiled, how frustrated he got trying to figure out modern life sometimes, his puppy dog eyes when he was asking me to bake something for him. I loved how hard he was working to make a life for himself, and that I got to share a small part of it. 

I stood there, back scraping uncomfortably against the trunk of the tree, and counted the ways I loved James, Elizabeth Barrett Browning style. I loved his long hair. I loved his eyes, especially when they twinkled at me. I even loved the metal hand of his, the one that could get the hottest pots and pans out of the oven without an oven glove, and his slightly overprotective attitude. 

I let myself dwell in the glow of that love for a minute or two. Then my brain started to re-engage. I wasn’t worried about my own potential for a rebound relationship. I didn’t do casual - I never had. I was very much an all-or-nothing person where relationships were concerned. But Sam had been right - I didn’t dare do anything to jeopardise my friendship with James. Where would I be in New York without my roommate? What would it do to me, if I revealed my feelings and he didn’t return them? More worryingly, what would it do to James, to have his friend and roommate, someone he ostensibly counted on, try to force something more onto an already odd relationship? I couldn’t - wouldn’t - do that to him.

So I could never say anything. I’d go on exactly as before, even if I completely destroyed my heart doing so. 

I gathered up all the lovely things I’d been thinking, all my shuddery thoughts and overly fond memories, and I tucked them away into a corner of my mind, locking them away. I shut them behind steel walls, trying to destroy the memories and feelings by sheer force of will.

Of course, I knew I was failing even as I tried, because the knot in my chest had moved to somewhere closer to my heart, and I suddenly knew from experience what people meant when they talked about heartache. Because my heart physically hurt. 

I bent over, still leaning against that tree, three blocks from home, and let myself feel the pain for exactly five breaths. And oh how it hurt. Not physically, of course, but mentally. My brain scrambled, showing me James in the flat, cooking pasta, waving me goodbye as he headed to the Tower. James’ face, covered in flour as he tried to help me bake. Then the impossible, James kissing me, pressing me up against a wall, lips never leaving mine, my leg hooking over his hip as I twisted my fingers into his hair. Later, a shirtless James would -

I stopped there, wrenching myself away from that line of thought with a gasp. I certainly couldn’t think about that. Never again, not if I wanted to keep James in my life. Which I did. So I worked on ignoring all of it, the burning in my chest, the tears threatening to spill from my eyes, the innocent and not so innocent thoughts. None of this would work unless I could control myself. 

Another ten breaths, and I was done. Tears still threatened to well up just below my eyes, and I still felt a slight burning in my chest, but I was as good as I was going to get. I nodded, and pried myself from the tree, jogging the rest of the way home.

As I unlocked the front door of our building, I sent James a text. 

**Back from my run with Sam. Be up in a minute.**

I could do this. I had to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.
> 
>  
> 
> In case any of this emotional stuff is unclear, here's how I see Eve's feelings playing out: When she first meets James, she's too wrapped up in getting over Spencer, being in a new city, and helping James deal with his issues to think anything romantic. Slowly, as the pair spend more time together, she starts to feel something more, but she completely ignores it, until the gala. That's when the first niggle of attraction reaches her conscious mind. But she's still repressing it. And then she has the run with Sam. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and commenting! You are all wonderful humans!


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Movie night at Avengers Tower

I knocked three times, then one more, then unlocked the door. 

“Have a good run?” James asked as I entered the kitchen to swipe a bottle of water from the fridge.

“Sam was being annoying,” I said, every single fibre in my body screaming at me to either launch myself at the man making eggs or run and curl up in a corner of my bedroom. 

“Oh?”

“He’s going to see Yundu in a few weeks,” I said, making a jokingly mocking face. “He’s already trying to plan. I’m gonna go take a shower.” I saluted with the water bottle.

“And I know better than to stand between you and a shower,” James joked. He smirked at me, that devastating half-smile, and I smiled back. I couldn’t help it. I retreated to my room, shutting the door behind me and leaning against it. 

This was going to be harder than I thought. 

I took another swig of water, chastising myself. It would get better. Just behave normally.

 

 

“Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit?” Tony asked as I walked into the Tower, James in tow. I’d just about gotten through my day. Thank god we were fairly solitary anyway, him doing his thing in the main room while I practiced and did business in mine. I usually only popped in for tea refills and lunch anyway.

I’d even managed to forget about Sam and my unfortunate revelation as James and I had walked over to the Tower, debating the benefits and drawbacks of equal temperament. He’d gotten really into the science of it all, while I argued the aesthetic and musical context. In the end, we’d both agreed that it was too wide-spread to change now, even if a piano’s thirds did make me cringe upon occasion.

“Both?” I replied. “Both is good.”

“No, which first? Of course we’re watching all of them.” 

“Fellowship, then,” I said, waving at Steve and Sam who were on the couch, and Clint and Natasha, who were hanging out at the bar. “That’s my vote, anyway.”

“Come on,” Tony replied, pouring himself a Scotch. Of course. “Only you, both Birdbrains, and I have seen all the movies anyway. And you and I are by far the bigger Tolkein-heads.” Clint lobbed an olive at Tony’s head, which connected with a solid thunk. Tony flipped him the bird without thinking. “Which means you and I get to choose.”

Tony took a quick sip of his drink, then gestured expansively around the room. “In which case, as the grasshopper and I agree, let us begin the movie marathon. JARVIS, Fellowship of the Ring, please. Extended edition.”

“Very good, sir,” the AI responded, lowering the giant screen and starting the projector.

“What’s this?” James asked, still by my side. It was like I was JARVIS myself. I could tell exactly where James was in relation to my own body, how far I’d have to reach out and touch him.

“Remember the guy I was telling you about last week?” I asked, going to the kitchen to grab myself a drink. James followed, and I grabbed him a beer from the fridge when I grabbed my own bottle of water. “Tolkein? The crazy Oxford don who basically created the fantasy genre?”

“The guy who crashed into his classes dressed as Beowulf?” James took his beer with a grin. Of course that was what he remembered about Tolkein.

“That’s the one.” I grinned. “Anyway, he wrote a whole bunch of books set in the world he created, and a few years ago -“

“Actually, almost ten years ago now,” Sam put in.

“Really?” I made a face. “That makes me feel old. Anyway.” I got back on topic. “They made movies out of all three Lord of the Rings books, and three movies out of The Hobbit as well. They’re kind of required viewing.”

“Sounds good,” James said. He caught my gaze and held it, peering into my eyes. “You sure you’re ok, Eve?” he asked. “You look a little, I dunno…”

“I’m good,” I told him and went to sit on the couch. As usual, I sat on the far left, right next to the arm of the couch so I could lean on it as we watched. I folded my legs underneath me, kicking off my shoes and curling myself up in a ball. The prologue started, and I was immediately transported into Middle Earth, mouthing along with Galadriel’s words. Someone plopped down on the couch next to me, but I didn’t look up, just tucked my feet even closer into my side as Smeagol and Deagol fought for the Ring.

“So this Ring’s evil, then?” James asked next to me, and I almost catapulted off the sofa.

“Dude!” Sam said, laughing. “No surprising the civilian!” I blushed. I looked up at James, who seemed to be sitting comfortably next to me. 

“Yeah,” I said. I sat up. It was going to be too hard to talk to James quietly and rest on the arm of the couch. Unless he — no, I wasn’t going there. “It’s kind of sentient.”

“World’s most evil wedding ring,” James joked, and I chuckled, expanding on the joke.

“It’s the one you get after the nine mood rings of slight misdeed, the seven promise rings of almost betrayal, and the three engagement rings of moral ambiguity.” James laughed. 

“Glad to see you haven’t lost your touch,” Tony said, sitting down on the arm of the couch.

“One ring to rule them all,” I said, looking up at him with a small smile. 

“One ring to find them,” he joined in. 

“One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them,” we chorused together, “In the land of Mordor where the shadows fall.”

“You two are adorable,” Steve commented from the other end of the couch. Tony put an arm around me.

“Of course we are, Capsicle.” I leaned into Tony’s hug. For a minute, I felt completely calm. “I’m adorable, and Eve here is radiant.”

“Aww, Tony!” I protested.

“Guys, cool it!” Sam said, “Actual plot happening here!”

Tony stood up, letting me go with a final pat on the back, and I resumed my concentration on the movie. I still noticed James sitting inches from me, of course. And every now and again he’d lean over to ask me a question, breath hot in my ear.

But for the most part, it was a pleasant evening, and I was able to relax and fall into Middle Earth. Between Fellowship and Two Towers, pizza arrived, and James grabbed a pizza for us both, most of which he ate, of course. I managed to salvage a few pieces of pepperoni though.

“Want another drink?” he asked, picking up the empty pizza box and standing up. 

“I’m good,” I said. “Thanks.” He smiled at me, and I turned into a lump of goo. Then the moment passed, and I returned to the screen, where Eowyn and Aragorn were sharing a moment. 

“Poor girl,” James commented, new beer in hand. “Can’t see he’s taken.”

“I can see why she likes him,” I said, “I mean, he’s new, he’s strong, self-assured, and, well, dishy.”

“Dishy?” James asked, quirking an eyebrow. 

“You know what I mean,” I shot back drily. 

“I know,” he said, putting an arm around the back of the sofa. 

 

A few hours later, and we were just barely starting Return of the King. My eyes were already heavy, and I was aware I was going to fall asleep on the couch. Sam was already passed out on the love seat, and Natasha was gently snoring, head pillowed on Clint’s arm. Tony and Steve were debating Aragorn’s leadership skills, and whether he was a better or worse leader than Elrond or Theoden.

I tried, I really tried, to keep my eyes open, to keep sitting upright. But it was already creeping into the wee hours of the morning, and I couldn’t concentrate anymore. So sometime when Sam and Frodo were inching their way to Mordor, my eyes fluttered closed and stayed so, my head pulling to one side and slightly overbalancing me so I landed on James’ shoulder.

I could feel his silent chuckle as the arm that he’d placed on the couch behind me descended over me, pulling me close. I knew there was some reason I should move, some really important reason I shouldn’t be enjoying James’ arm on my shoulder, hand curling around my elbow, but I couldn’t quite…

I drifted off to sleep like that, head on James’ shoulder, his arm across my shoulders.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve heads to England.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” James said, slinging my case into the cab. 

“I can’t believe _you’re_ leaving,” I shot back with a smile. I was leaving for London - going back for a week, three concerts, a master class, and lots of catching up. James, on the other hand, was now almost on the Avenger’s active duty roster, and was headed somewhere or other for a final training mission. He couldn’t tell me, and I hadn’t asked. It had taken James two solid weeks for Steve to agree to James going back out into the field, but James’ persistence had won out.

James flashed me one of his blinding grins. “Just fly safe, ok?” He pulled me in for a hug, and I returned it, slipping my own arms across his strong back. 

“And try to be safe,” I told him. He just smiled at me. 

“Let me know when you get in.” He frowned. “I might not get it, but-“

“I’ll text you, James. You’ll see it when you see it.” He gave me another hug.

“Miss you, Eve.”

“I’ll miss you as well,” I replied. I slipped into the cab’s back seat.

“Bye Eve,” James said.

“Bye James,” I replied, waving as he closed the door.

“LaGuardia?” the cabbie asked.

“Yes, thank you.”

 

 

I walked off the plane and into England. It was nice to be home, I thought, crossing the bridge with the other hundred or so people I’d flown with, but it was different somehow. England would always be home, a place I’d be glad to be back to, but I didn’t quite feel complete here, as I had once.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my bag.

 **Glad you got there ok. We’re still in the plane. Steve and Sam say hi. Tony says to ‘knock em dead, champ’. I say have fun.** I grinned.

 **Tell Sam and Steve hi back,** I texted, slowing slightly so I could walk and type at the same time. **And tell Tony that I always KO at my concerts. And tell yourself good luck and have fun too.**

I walked the familiar path from the terminal through to passport control, flashing my UK passport at the new machines they had and speeding through to pick up my bag. No reply from James as I waited. They must be busy. 

I shook myself. This trip was supposed to be about me resetting, me not thinking about him as much. I could do it. 

I wheeled the bag through customs and through the final duty-free attempt, feeling all seven hours of the flight. Only another hour. Then I could grab coffee and relax. I scanned the people waiting for their friends and family by reflex, then started grinning.

Leaning against the guardrail were Miles, Jo, and Yundu, holding a sign that said ‘Absentee Violinist Returned’ and grinning like idiots. I half-ran over, dragging my bag behind me, and was enveloped in a group hug.

“You didn’t tell me you were coming!” I said.

“Surprise!” Miles said. 

“I’m surprised,” I said drily. We started walking towards the Underground. 

“So, how’s Sam?” Yundu asked.

“You know better than I do,” I said, grinning. I couldn’t have stopped smiling had I wanted to. “He’s off on a training mission now, with -  with Steve” I caught myself before I said James. I’d almost forgotten they didn’t know about James being the Winter Soldier. 

“And how’s the world’s favourite American?” Miles asked.

“He’s good,” I said. “Things have been quiet lately on the whole world-saving front, I think.”

“How are you, for that matter?” Jo asked, putting an arm around me as we walked. By this point, Miles was dragging my suitcase, so I was relatively unencumbered, only carrying my voluminous handbag and my violin.

“I’m good,” I said. I could tell she didn’t quite believe me, but she let it go. 

“I have something to tell you,” she whispered in my ear.

“What?” I asked when she didn’t speak right away. She glanced ahead of us, where Miles and Yundu were discussing something. 

“Well, Miles and I…” she trailed off, smiling uncertainly.

“You and Miles finally got together?” I asked. She nodded. I squealed, giving her a hug.

“I totally called it! I’m so happy for you two!” Miles and Yundu glanced back at my little freakout.

“I guess you told her?” Miles asked. I nodded. 

“Come here, you,” I told him, giving him a hug too. 

 

I did so many London-y things that trip. I went to see Buckingham Palace. I wandered my old haunts in Islington. I went to Greenwich, and to the Globe. And everywhere I went, I took pictures. I even took pictures with myself in them, selfies with my phone which got better with time. And why did I take those pictures?

Because, the day before I left, I’d had the following conversation with James.

_“I’d love to see London now,” he’d said as we were watching the latest in James’ list of movies to watch - the Fast and the Furious, one of Tony’s recommendations. “I saw a bit of it during the war, but it must be totally different.”_

_“You’ll have to come with me sometime,” I said, stomach flipping slightly as I realised what I’d said. “I’ll show you around.”_

_“I’d like that,” James replied, shooting me a quick smile before returning to the movie. “Maybe you could take a few pictures for me, though? It might be a while before I get a chance to go on vacation.”_

_“Sure.”_

So now I was a few hundred pictures in, saving them all to the cloud so I could show James. It was such a small request, something he’d probably said in passing, but I couldn’t help myself. Everywhere I went, I thought about whether or not James would like it. I did my best not to think about the man, I really did.

And, during rehearsal, or when I was spending time with friends, I just about managed. But left to my own devices, I couldn’t help my thoughts wandering to him. I wondered how he was doing on his training mission - I hadn’t heard anything, so I assumed they must still be training away. I worried about him too, about how he was adjusting to being back in the field, if he was still in one piece, mentally and physically. 

 

Two days before I was due to come home, my phone rang. It was Pepper.

“Hello?” 

“You need to come home, Eve, now.” I’d never heard that tone from Pepper before. She sounded concerned, and maybe a little scared?

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t say.”

“Is Tony hurt?” It was the only thing I could think of that would mean my flying home immediately. My heart lurched - what if James was hurt? “Or one of the others?” 

“No, no, everyone’s fine,” Pepper said, and my heart resumed beating. “They all got back last night.”

“So what’s the problem?” I asked. I was coming back in a few days anyway - why did I need to rush my vacation?

Pepper paused. “You and Tony got a letter from your mom.” 

I swallowed. “But Mom’s dead.”

“She left it with a lawyer, apparently,” Pepper said. “I think she meant for you two to open it together, but Tony, well, you know how he is. He got impatient.” I was confused. What about about Mom’s letter was so important that I had to fly home?

“Please, Eve,” Pepper said. “Trust me - it’s important, it can’t wait, and I’m not going to tell you this over the phone. Go to City Airport, take a Stark jet. It’ll be waiting for you as soon as you get there.”

“Ok,” I said slowly. If Pepper said it was important, it was important. 

“I’m sorry to cut your trip short,” she said.

“It’s fine,” I said automatically. “I’ll pack now.”

“See you soon.” It was strange. Pepper didn’t seem happy about it.


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve touches down in New York, and finds some friends...

I didn't sleep on the way back to New York. Not that I usually managed, flying west. But this time I didn't even attempt to sleep. I just sat curled up on one of the leather seats of the Learjet, drinking cup after cup of the excellent coffee and worrying.

My thoughts, as per usual, went immediately to James. What if something had gone wrong on the training mission, and Pepper just didn't want to tell me? She sure had been reluctant to tell me anything over the phone. Apart from the fact that no one was physically injured. I had to hold onto that thought. I'd remembered to say that when I'd called Yundu in a panic, letting her know that I was leaving. Well, as much as I ever panicked. I'd been almost preternaturally calm as I'd arranged for my things to be sent back to New York without me, thanks to the Stark Industries credit card Pepper had insisted I take with me. I'd sat quietly in the cab that had taken me to City Airport, and conversed calmly with the pilot as the flight details went through air traffic control.

Yundu, though, hadn't been quite as well. She had immediately thought of her Sam, and had made me promise to make him call her when I next saw him. I promised, but definitely thought she'd get through to him before I saw him in person. The girl was nothing if not persistent, and I knew that she would be calling Sam every five minutes until he picked up his phone. I stared out of the window, watching the clouds float below me, wishing the Concorde was still running.

At least that way I'd be home faster. 

I traced the outline of my violin with my fingertips absently. I hadn't let it out of my sight since Pepper called me - admittedly a new coping mechanism for me. Normally I dove into a book, or a movie, when bad things happened. But I couldn't concentrate on anything. I'd tried reading, and my eyes wouldn't focus on the page. The pilot had suggested I watch a movie when he'd let me know the flight time, once we were in the air.

I couldn't concentrate on that either. Or on work. No, I just sat there, trying not to think too much. I tried not to think about James, I tried not to think about Miles and Jo. I tried not to think about what my mother had put in that damned letter.

 

 

 

I only came out of my trance when we started to lower over New York. I watched the city skyline merge into shapes I recognized as my heart started to pound and I started to regret that sixth cup of coffee. 

"Twenty more minutes, Miss Bates," came the pilot's voice over the intercom, and I started.

"Thank you," I said. I watched the Empire State Building come into view.

"Miss Bates?" the pilot asked again.

"Yes?"

"Miss Potts asked me to tell you that your roommate and his friend would be picking you up." My heart leaped. I'd see James soon! "She said to apologize for not picking you up herself. Mr. Stark needs her." And my stomach dropped again. If Tony needed her and she couldn't leave, that wasn't good. 

"Thank you," I told the pilot, digesting the new information. Foremost among my thoughts was the knowledge that James was close. And in one piece. A small part of my anxiety eased as I allowed the news that James really was safe to sink in. The hand that had been tracing the outline of my violin case ceased its movement, and I smiled briefly.

 

 

I didn't look up as I went down the stairs - they were slightly rickety, and I was wearing high heels that could go right through the holes between steps if I wasn't careful. And besides, I didn't want to see who was waiting for me - I was afraid I'd lose it. I'd seen the big black car as the jet pulled into the hangar, but the windows were blacked out, and I hadn't been able to see who was inside. My feet hit concrete, and I looked up. My favorite super soldier and his best friend were standing there, Steve leaning against the SUV, James a few paces ahead. I gave him a small smile, and he grinned back, coming forwards and sweeping me up into a hug. His hands went between my violin case and my back, grabbing me and lifting me up, spinning me around. I just hung on, burying my face in the jean jacket he had on. I was so very happy to see him, to have his arms around me.

"Hi," he breathed, letting me down to my feet at last. I'd forgotten how much blue there was in his eyes.

"Hi," I said back. We stared at each other for a minute, unspeaking.

"Come on, guys," Steve said. "Let's get back to the Tower." I went over and gave Steve a hug as well. 

"Thanks for picking me up," I said. I didn't ask about the letter. I'd find out soon enough. 

Steve rode shotgun, and James and I climbed in back. My hands twisted themselves together, fingers intertwining as I watched the streets go past. 

"So, how'd the mission go?" I asked at last, wanting to distract myself from thoughts of possible apocalypses.

James smiled. "Pretty well," he said. "What do you think, Captain?"

"Our boy did good," Steve said, turning in his seat. "Even Stark was happy with him."

"I'm glad," I replied, smiling back at James. He seemed to have found his place. His purpose. Exactly what I'd hoped for for him. Not that I didn't wish, just a little, that he'd chosen something a bit safer, of course.

"So where is Tony, exactly?" I asked. James turned grim, and Steve made a face. 

"He's in his workshop," James said slowly.

"With a case of his favorite Scotch," Steve added.

"Punk!"

"She knows him, Buck. And you can't protect her from this one." James' face darkened even more, and I was suddenly worried he was about to snap back into Winter mode. I reached out for his hand, and he glanced at me, face softening when he saw the worry in my face.

"I'm a big girl," I assured him. "It's so lovely that you care," _You have no idea how much,_  I thought. "but I'm not made out of glass. I won't shatter under pressure." He squeezed back, and I realized I'd grabbed his metal hand without thinking when sunlight glinted off the metal. He smiled wryly.

We didn't talk after that, sitting in silence as the car moved through the streets of Manhattan.

 

 

"Nice to have you back, Miss Bates," JARVIS said as we entered the elevator.

"Hi J," I replied. "Nice to hear your voice again."

"Miss Potts requests you join her," the AI continued. "Shall I direct the elevator accordingly."

"Do, oh friend of mine, do," I said drily, and the lift shot up. 

"Do either of you know what was in the letter?" I asked James and Steve, who had followed me into the lift, silent comforting presences at my back. 

"Not really," James said. "We were in the common room, post mission debrief, and some lawyer turned up with a letter. I think Stark was supposed to open it with you, but…”

"But Tony is a child," I completed for him, "and doesn't know how to not open something."

"He opened the letter and read for a minute," Steve said, taking up the tale. "And all the blood just drained from his face. I thought he was going to faint. He muttered something to JARVIS about calling Pepper and left. We only found out this morning that he'd locked himself in his lab, and that Pepper had called for you." I grimaced, and my arms folded around my middle, so that it looked like I was trying to hug myself. James put a hand on my shoulder as the lift doors opened, and I looked back at him. 

"We're here if you need us," he said. "I'm here."

I managed a smile. "I know. Thank you." I covered his hand with mine briefly, then moved out of the lift car.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry there still wasn't a reveal - it's coming tomorrow, I promise!
> 
> Hope everyone's still enjoying the story!


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve finds out what's in the letter...

Pepper reached me before I'd taken even two steps out of the elevator.

"Thank God you're here," she said, wrapping her arms around me and crushing my violin to my back.

"Of course," I said, hugging back. All my anxiety returning full-force as I realized just how anxious Pepper really was. A lock of hair fell out of her ponytail, and she was wearing sweats. On a weekday, at 3pm. 

"Tell me," I said. Pepper shook her head. "Not here." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Why not here? Didn't she trust the Avengers? Surely she must. Pepper was towing me towards her and Tony's private elevator. "I think you should be with Tony when you hear." I dug in my heels and stopped her. She turned back to me, not understanding why I had halted.

I turned back to James, still standing awkwardly by the lift. "I'll be back," I told him, wanting him not to worry, but seeing the expression in his face, in the way he was holding himself. "Promise." He nodded, and I glanced at Steve, who nodded as well. Steve would take care of James until I could get back. I turned and went back to Pepper. "Let's go."

 

 

We stood in silence as the elevator went up two floors, to Tony's lab. I hadn't seen it since it had been rebuilt, after the Battle of New York that had smashed Stark Tower and created Avengers Tower. The door opened onto metal tables with projects on them, all well-lit. In the corner was a beat-up leather couch, on which lay Tony, passed out with a bottle of Scotch clutched to his chest. Metal played quietly in the background as I kicked my heels off and dashed over to my uncle. He'd been doing so much better with the binge drinking, since Pepper and the Avengers. I knelt next to the couch, placing a hand on his, locked together around the bottle on his chest.

"Nunc?" I asked softly. "Uncle Tony? It's Eve." His eyes fluttered open and he turned his head to face me. His eyes closed again. 

"Pep?" he asked, eyes still closed. 

"Here, Tony."

"She's here, right?" He put a hand over his face and rubbed vigorously. I figured the hangover was kicking in. "Not some figment of my imagination?"

"She's here," Pepper said, coming to stand next to the couch herself. 

Tony opened his eyes and looked at me again. "I thought you weren't coming back for another couple days," he said.

"Pepper called," I said softly. He looked like hell. His clothes were rumpled, his hair was messier than usual. I could tell he hadn't showered in a few days. He rubbed his eyes with the back of a hand, then looked over at Pepper. He groaned, then handed me the bottle, heaving himself upright. I took the half-empty bottle and put it down. At least that was a good sign.

"Can I give you a hug first?" Tony asked, startling me. 

"Of course you can!" I said, jumping up and sitting down on the couch. I threaded my arms around his middle and he put his arms around me in return, pressing a kiss to my hair. I looked up at him. "You know I love you, right, Tony? No matter what." His arms tightened around me.

"You too, kiddo. I hope you remember that." He glanced at Pepper, and I looked at her as well. She was holding a sheaf of folded papers, and, at Tony's nod, held them out to me. I took them, surprised my hands weren't shaking.

I looked at the papers, then at Tony. "You know I don't have to read these," I said. "I love Mom, but she's dead. There are always going to be a bunch of things we never got to say to each other." Tony smiled, and my heart broke. It was such a sad smile. He shook his head.

"Sorry, kiddo," his voice broke on the nickname. "I think you need to read. Just try and remember I didn't know either, ok?" I put the papers aside and gave the man who had become my ersatz father for five years my best hug. Then I picked up the papers, and began to read.

I almost sobbed when I recognized my mum's handwriting.

 

_Dear Tony, my dearest Evelyn,_

 

_If you're reading this, I'm dead. And if I'm dead, then there's something I didn't get the chance to tell you in person. Forgive me._

_I love you both very much, you know. Evie, you are the most perfect daughter a mother could ever ask for. I love that you put your heart and soul into your music, and that you always have a smile for me, no matter how sad you get. Gods, I miss you already, and you're only in the next room._

_Tony, I only hope you can forgive me. I did and do love you, if not in the way either of you two deserve. The fault here is mine and mine alone. Please don't blame him, Eve. He didn't know._

 

_Now that I've probably scared both of you within an inch of your lives, I need to make confession._

 

_Eve, you are Tony's daughter. Tony, you are Eve's father._

 

_How is this possible? Tony, you may remember without me telling you. Eve, Tony and I had a fling, a one-night stand, you'd call it, a week after your father proposed. It was a mistake, we both knew it, and I was, and am, still madly in love with your father. With Tom. Gods, this is getting complicated._

_It was so simple at the time, though. Tony and I only slept together the once, even though the condom broke, and Tom and I had been skipping the birth control for a while anyway. We both knew that we wanted children, and even then, I knew it would be difficult for me to conceive naturally. When I discovered I was pregnant, I didn't question it. Of course it was Tom's. Tony and I were on better terms than ever, once we realized friends was all we would ever be, and I was blissfully happy. I had a best friend, a husband, and a baby on the way._

 

_I only found out when Eve was five. Do you remember, sweetheart? It was when you were trying to ride a bike with your friends and you got hit by a car. It was awful. Broken bones, concussion, it was a miracle you weren't killed. And Tom was gone on business, on the other side of the country. They rushed you to the hospital, Eve, they sent you into every imaginable scanning machine, and tried to give you blood. That was the killer, or almost the killer. It turns out that although Tony and Tom are both Type A, they don't share the same clotting factor. Tony is A+, Tom is A-. I didn't know, and the doctors said it didn't matter, until you almost died on the table when the blood they were giving you got rejected._

 

_I don't know how I managed that day. I still don't remember most of it. Lots of beeping, doctors in green scrubs. Someone coming up and telling me that my girl wasn't going to die, that you were going to be just fine, Evie, but that I might want to give them the correct blood type next time. I couldn't understand it at the time. I was still at the hospital when Tom arrived from the airport. While he was getting us some food, I snuck a look at his driver's license. I hadn't got his blood type wrong after all. Then I realized whose daughter you actually were, Eve._

 

_But that wasn't quite true either. In every way other than blood, you are Tom Bates' daughter. He raised you. He drove you home from the hospital. He loves you more than life itself. You have him absolutely wrapped around your little finger, dear._

 

_But by the same token, genetically, you are the daughter of Tony Stark. And he loves you too, don't you, Tony? I asked him to take care of you, Evie, if something happens to your father and I. I do wish I knew whether or not Tom is still alive now, when you two are reading this. I hope you two can get along, Tony, for Eve's sake.  And feel free to hate me. Please hate me, for keeping your daughter from you all these years._

 

_I do hope I get the chance to make my amends in person, that I at some point get the courage to tell Tom that his daughter isn't his. (Don't worry. I have a letter for him as well. Neither of you will have to tell Tom anything.) I understand if you feel the need to hate me now, both of you. But please believe that I love you, especially you, Evie. Once I found out, I couldn't imagine telling anyone. Only I knew, you see? And Tony, you were still making weapons and sleeping with everything that moved. I didn't want to tell you - what if you sued for custody and I lost Eve? It was selfish, I know, but it's what I thought._

 

_Eve, because I can never say this enough, especially now I'm dead, I love you. I love my beautiful little girl that I won't get to watch turn into a gorgeous young woman. I hope you find happiness, and people to share that happiness with. Keep smiling that amazing smile of yours._

 

_Lots of love,_

_Mum_

 

I stared at the letter long after I'd finished reading it. There were other pages as well, and I leafed through them absently. There were my medical records, the record of me rejecting the A- blood. The paternity test Mum had had done, confirming I was subject A's daughter with a note, also written by Mum, apologizing for stealing Tony's DNA. Another apology. Couldn't the woman do anything but apologize? Tony shifted, and I remembered his presence. I looked up at him.

"I guess I'd better stop calling you Uncle, huh?" I asked, tears growing behind my eyes. He just looked back at me warily. I sighed and threw my arms around him again. "I don't hate you, Tony."  His arms tightened around me as well, and I could hear his breath hitch. I let him go, and he released me. "It's just a lot to process, right?" I said. "I mean, I have a dad again - I mean - I guess you were always my dad, and you don't have to acknowledge me as your daughter, and"

Pepper stopped me before I could dig myself a deeper hole. "We can discuss this later. I think there have been enough life-altering declarations for the day, don't you?" I nodded. "Now you both know, I suggest you sleep on it. We can decide what to do, if anything, later." She smiled at us, sitting side by side on the couch. "If you ask me, though, I think you'll both be fine. You care too much about each other to be anything else." 

She held out her hands to Tony, who took them and helped him to his feet. "Let's get you to a real bed, mister," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. 

"What do I tell the others?" I asked from the couch. I still held Mom's letter. 

"Do they have to know?" Tony asked wearily.

"I'm not lying to my friends," I said firmly. "Lying is what got us here anyway. If Mom had just told the truth when she realized..." I trailed off bitterly.

"Tell them, then," Tony said as bitterly as I had. "Bird boy and Supergirl'd just hack us for the real truth anyway." 

"If you're sure," I said, standing up to get a better look at his expression.

"Yeah, yeah," he said. He rubbed his face again. "Stay here tonight, huh? The guest house is empty." I looked out the window. Night had crept up on us without me realizing it, and the sun was already setting over the tall buildings. 

"Sure," I said. "Whatever you want, Tony." I kissed him on the cheek and walked with him and Pepper to the elevator. We went to the lounge first.

"We'll be ok," I told my uncle - my father, hating slightly that I was almost always the adult around him. He smiled and kissed me on the cheek.

"Whatever you say, kiddo. I'm just glad you don't hate me."

"Never," I drawled, and stepped out of the elevator with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been receiving such wonderful comments over the past few days, and I wanted to say thank you again! Your comments are absolutely precious to me, and it's so lovely that you like my writing enough to comment!
> 
> I hope you like the chapter - let me know what you think!


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve tells all. But before that, she needs a drink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to apologize for not actually getting a chapter to you all yesterday - I thought I posted it, but it ended up saved as a draft instead.   
> But it should be posted now. Let me know if you have any problems!

My grin faded as the lift doors closed behind me. Natasha and Clint were at the bar as usual, and they looked up as I approached. I nodded in greeting, moving to the fridge with single-minded determination. If there was ever a time for a drink, this was it. I grabbed a beer and searched for the bottle-opener. 

"Eve?" It was Sam, glancing over from the couch. "I thought you were in London." James was staring at me, sitting next to Sam. Steve was also looking on with interest.

"Did you call Yundu back yet?" I asked, avoiding the question.

Sam nodded. "All she said was that you got some urgent call and left. She said to tell you that your stuff should be here soon. Apparently you pack like a guy." I should have laughed. I tried, I really did, but instead of laughing, I sobbed instead. Some switch must have misfired in my brain. I got myself under control quickly, but not quickly enough that James didn't get up off the couch and come over. Steve was a beat behind him, face concerned. I smiled up at them, but that must not have worked, because their faces didn't change.

"Come on, guys," I said. "Sit back down. I'll tell you what happened." I sat down next to James, too tired, jet-lagged, and emotionally wrought to stop myself. I needed him next to me. "You too, Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum," I said to Clint and Natasha. "I'm not saying this more than once, and I'd rather you get it from me." I took a pull from the beer as Clint and Natasha wandered over, taking up perches on the bench next to the fireplace. I stared at the beer bottle for a minute. 

Or perhaps it was more than a minute, because Steve spoke. "What happened?" he asked. I looked up at the blonde, startled. 

I started to pull the label from the beer, and pulled my legs up beneath me so I was curled up smaller. I'd left my heels in the lab, I realized. I'd have to get them later. I looked at James, who was looking right back at me, eyes level. 

"Tony's my bio dad," I said finally. I heard Sam suck in a breath behind me, and Clint huffed. James just looked confused. "Tony's my real father," I said, trying to explain, then stopped. "That's not right. Dad was my father." I dropped my head into my hands. God this was hard. A hand was on my back, drawing soothing circles. I took a breath and continued, pitching my voice so everyone could hear without me having to move. "Tony and Mom had a fling around when my dad proposed. She didn't think anything of it until I almost died when I was five because I rejected the blood type they were giving me." I grimaced. "So Tony's my biological father. He didn't know either." I sat upright, and I realized I'd started crying. "Now you all know," I managed before I couldn't speak anymore. 

I knew there was some reason I shouldn't throw myself into James' arms and cry into his shoulder. I knew it, and that the reason was important, so I didn't. I did let myself turn towards him as I put the beer down and buried my face in my hands. And, thank God, James didn't require a graved invitation, because he put his arms around me and pulled me against him. I went willingly, wrapping my arms around his neck, holding him close. I sobbed into his t-shirt as he ran his hands up and down my back, whispering into my ear. I couldn't really hear what he said - the rushing in my ears was too loud at first. I just let myself break down.

 

 

His voice was what drew me back to myself as my tears slowed. "It's ok, Eve," he said. "It'll all be ok, I promise. You'll get through this. It's ok. I'll kick Stark's ass for you if he screws this up." I giggled. He pulled away a little, and I made a sound of protest. He didn't let me go entirely though, just pulling back far enough that he could see my face. I turned away from his gaze, burying my head against the curve where neck met shoulder. I must look awful. I wasn't one of those people who could cry and still look normal. My eyes went red, my face went blotchy, and I knew my mascara would be running down my face like a parody of a sad clown. "Hey," James said softly. "Eve, look at me." I peered up at him. "There you are," he said with a smile. I smiled back. A little blearily, but the smile was real. Then I grimaced, my head starting to pound. 

"Water," I said, my voice a bit raw. James looked at someone behind me.

"Steve's getting it," he told me. His arms were still around me, and I was far from complaining. I looked at his shirt, stained with tears and mascara. 

"Oops," I said. He tried to look down, face dizzyingly close to mine, but couldn't manage. "I got your shirt dirty," I said. 

"Water," Steve said, and Bucky let me go just enough so I could turn around and accept the glass from Steve. He kept one arm firmly around me, though, as I accepted the glass and the damp tea towel. 

"Rogers, you are a god among men," I said. I leaned back into James and took a sip of water, then wiped at my face with the towel. I came away with streaks of mascara and makeup. “Bye bye, raccoon.” I could feel James chuckling next to me, and I actually gave him a smile. 

“So what now?” Sam asked. “Are you going to be Eve Stark?” I shook my head automatically.

“I dunno,” I said. “We haven’t talked about any of it yet.” I gulped. “Oh my god. I’m a Stark - I mean, I’m a Bates too, but I’m a Stark! That’s completely bizarre.” I let out a yawn.

“So, you coming home tonight?” James asked, looking down at me. 

“I promised Tony I’d stay here tonight,” I said, regretfully. My own bed, with my own clothes, sounded like a really good idea right about then. 

“Oh,” James said, and, wrapped around me as he was, I could feel him tense. 

“Yeah,” I replied, putting a hand over his where it was sitting on my waist. “Home sounds pretty good right about now. But I promised. Think you could bring me some clothes tomorrow?” He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, until I glanced up at his face, worried he’d slipped into Winter mode again. 

But no, he was just looking at me, a peculiar expression on his face that made me shiver all the way down to my toes. I wasn’t sure I wanted to decipher that look on his face, but I wasn’t about to complain if he kept looking at me like that, either.

“Eve?” Pepper strode in, and Bucky looked away, tracking her progress from the elevator.

“Over here, Aunt Pepper,” I called from the sofa, sticking a hand up and waving. I was too tired to move, and too comfortable. Pepper came over, raised an eyebrow at me in the circle of James’ arm, then sat opposite me on the coffee table. 

“Tony’s passed out upstairs,” Pepper said. “So I wanted to check on you. How are you?” Her eyes took in my makeup-less, probably still tear-stained face, my legs still tucked underneath me for comfort, James’ arm protectively around me.

“I’m fine,” I said, then stopped. “Well, I mean, I’m not. I’m as fine as I can be, I guess. I had my little breakdown, and I’ll probably need some time to adjust, and to sort out what the hell I’m feeling.” I looked at Pepper. “But honestly? I don’t know whether much will change between me and Tony. Not from my end, anyway. He’s always been almost a second dad to me anyway, and since Mom and Dad died… Well. He’s the family I have left. The sum total. Well, you and he are,” I corrected. “And this isn’t going to make me run away from him, or anything. He was always family. Now he’s a blood relation too.”

“Oh, Eve,” Pepper said, and pulled me into a hug. “I have to admit,” she whispered into my ear, “I hoped you’d see it that way.” I grinned, then yawned.

“Now,” Pepper continued, in her best ‘mom’ voice that I’d seen her use on Tony for years, “off to bed, young lady. I know you didn’t get any sleep on that plane.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, saluting and standing up. 

“I’ll get you some things,” James said, standing with me, and I gave him a grateful smile and a quick hug.

“Thanks,” I told him. “For everything.”

“Least I could do,” he replied, somber. “Really, the absolute least.” I waved it off, told everyone else good night, and somehow stumbled into bed.


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve wakes up in the guest house.

I woke up the next morning to the sun streaming into my eyes.

“The light, it burns, it burns,” I groaned, rolling over and almost falling off the couch. Wait - couch? Then I remembered. I was in the guest wing. And Tony was my dad. And Dad was my dad. I groaned again.

I’d made it as far as the couch before collapsing, fully dressed. I’d fully intended to spend only a few minutes watching TV before actually getting myself to bed and falling asleep, but I must not have made it that far. I looked down, and realised I was still in full London gear. Pencil skirt, tights, button-front shirt, and bra. And I’d been in them for almost 48 straight hours now. Ugh.

“JARVIS?” I asked, voice still thick with sleep.

“Good morning, Miss Bates,” he said, and I winced. I wasn’t sure about that last name thing.

“J? Could you call me Eve, please? You know the situation, right?”

“Indeed I do,” the AI said. “I shall call you Eve until you instruct me otherwise.”

“Thanks,” I ran a hand through my hair, only succeeding in messing it up further. “Any chance James brought me some stuff last night? This morning? God, what time is it?”

“It is 9:38 am,” JARVIS replied. “And Sargent Barnes did leave you some things - they are just by the door.” I grinned and pushed the blanket off of me, then stopped. I hadn’t had a blanket - then I realised. 

“J, did James tuck me in last night?” I asked softly.

“He was here yesterday evening,” the AI said. “He came up with your things at 10:42, and stayed until 10:54. No one else has entered the guest house. I am unable, with the privacy constraints you set up, to tell you more. Unless you wish me to look over the security footage?”

“No!” I shook my head, “No, no, J, that’s ok.” I couldn’t help the goofy smile that seemed to have taken up permanent residence on my face. James had tucked me in. And no, I wasn’t going to give into temptation and play voyeur on the man whom I had feelings for. That would be bad. 

I grabbed the duffel from by the door and headed for my old room and the bathroom. A shower sounded like the closest thing to Heaven right now. 

 

 

Half an hour later, I emerged from the bathroom, feeling more human. James had done fairly well, grabbing me jeans, a shirt, underwear, and pyjamas. He’d even grabbed my wash things from my bathroom. Unfortunately, the shirt was one of my old ones, something from high school that I kept for sentimental reasons that didn’t fit any more. And there was no way in hell that I was wearing my stinky blouse again, so I went over to James’ room, to check if he’d left anything there, as I’d taken everything with me when I’d moved. 

I opened James’ old door slowly, feeling like I was trespassing. But James didn’t live here anymore, I told myself firmly. I was fine. The room was deserted, of course, and I stepped inside, feet padding on the carpet. 

There was nothing in the closet. I tried the armoire next to the bed. Nothing in the top drawer, or the middle.

“Success!” I crowed, reaching into the bottom drawer and pulling out three t-shirts. Two were black, I noticed, opening them out, and one had the HYDRA logo on it. So not that one. The last one was a grey t-shirt with the Captain America logo on it, a bit threadbare, and with a hole in one of the sleeves.

I grinned and shrugged it on. It was huge on me, the long sleeves that James always wore to cover his arm hanging to just below my fingertips, the hem hanging almost to mid-thigh. I rolled up the sleeves and headed to the elevator.

Coffee.

 

 

“Morning, sunshine,” Clint said, raising his cup of coffee.

I waved, making a beeline for the coffee pot. Someone passed me the milk. 

“Morning, Steve,” I said, pouring milk into my mug and taking my first sip. “Mmmmm. Caffeine.”

“How’d you sleep?” the supersoldier asked. 

“Out like a light,” I said. “How are you?”

 

“Fine, thanks,” he said, and glanced down. “Nice shirt.” He grinned.

I glanced down at the logo myself. “It’s one of James’ that he left,” I said, picking at one sleeve absently. “The shirt he picked up was one of my old ones - it doesn’t fit any more.”

Steve just grinned wider. I wondered how much he realised about the way I felt. I drank more coffee. 

“Croissant?” Sam held one up in my direction. “They’re not as good as yours, but…”

“Gimme,” I said, grinning. “Thanks, Sam.”

“Don’t mention it.” I took a bite of the pastry. Carby goodness. I hummed contentedly, seating myself on the empty bar stool next to Natasha.

“Morning, Agent Romanov,” I said, once I was far enough into my coffee that I felt capable of intelligent conversation. 

“Good morning, Eve,” she said. We sat in comfortable silence, watching the boys fight over the last two croissants. 

“Have you seen Tony yet today?” I asked finally. I wanted to know where James was, but figuring he was at home. Home - I wanted my own bed, my own coffee machine, and access to my own croissant dough. These pastries weren’t bad, but, well, they went a little easy on the butter. 

“He came down for coffee earlier,” Natasha replied. “I think he went back to his lab, but he looked better.” 

“No Scotch?”

“No Scotch,” she confirmed. She looked at me, and I felt like she could see every thought as it passed through my mind. I waited for her to finish her examination of me. “You’ll be ok,” she said. “And if you want to beat something up, come talk to me.” A smile flashed across her face, then was gone. “The boys mean well, but they’ll just blow you off.”

I grinned. “I’ll do that. Thanks.” I could easily imagine the look on James’ face if I told him I was going to go hit something. 

“Eve?” JARVIS asked.

“Yes, J?” 

“Sir asks if you are free to speak to him.” I frowned. Not like Tony to ask. This was going to be weird for a while.

“I’m free,” I said, getting out of my chair. “Tell him I’ll be up in a minute. And that I’m bringing coffee.”

 


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve wanders into Tony's lab and finds him talking to James. Why do people never listen to her?

I stepped into the shop to the sounds of an argument.

“The last thing I want to do is hurt her!” That was James.

“Yeah, but what when you’re not you, Dr. Jekyll?” And that was Tony. “You already injured her once. That’s why you had me set up JARVIS in your place, remember?”

“What?” I couldn’t help the question. James and Tony both turned to face me, slight amounts of fear in their eyes. I shook my head at them. 

“Coffee,” I said, bringing the mug over and setting it down before Tony.

“Thanks, kiddo.” Tony took a sip and closed his eyes.

“Now,” I said. “What’s this about JARVIS being installed at home?”

James was looking at me very oddly. Well, more specifically at my shirt.

“The shirt you brought me doesn’t actually fit anymore,” I said, “So I went through your old closet in the guest wing. I hope you don’t mind.”

“So-“ James stopped mid-apology. “No,” he said instead, still looking at Captain America’s shield on my chest. “No, I don’t mind.” 

“Robotboy here,” Tony said, when James just kept staring at my shirt, “Asked me to install JARVIS in your new place, just in case he pulled another switcheroo.”

“James.” His eyes shot up to mine, and he actually blushed. It was adorable. I sighed. I didn’t want to deal with this today. Not a cute-as-a-button-when-he-blushed soldier or JARVIS bugging my place. “You two, honestly. Why can’t anyone ever ask if _I_ want my place bugged first?”

“I wanted to make sure you were safe,” James said, not looking at me.

“I trusted you not to hurt me, James,” I said. “Did when we moved, still do now, and will continue to do so in the future.” 

“But-“ James started.

“No buts. Now, I did want to thank you for bringing my things - I feel almost normal now.” 

“Anytime. Let me know if you need anything else from home. I’ll bring it for you.” He was still avoiding my gaze, and was being very careful not to stand too close to me.

“I’ll be headed home tonight anyhow,” I said, smiling lightly at the thought of my own bed. “But thanks.” 

“I’ll leave you two to talk,” James said, walking towards the elevator.

“We’ll finish the surveillance part of the discussion later,” I called after him. He glanced back, without the grin I was expecting to see. He just looked sad. It was like I was seeing James from months ago, when he was still in that awful basement room. “Bye James.”

“Bye Eve.” I looked after him, forgetting even the coffee in my hand as I wondered what had possibly happened.

“Eve?” Tony was talking. “Earth to Eve, this is Earth speaking. Hello?” 

“Hmmm? What, Tony?” I looked back at my uncle - my dad? This was too weird for words.

“Barnes had flashbacks, while you were gone.” I put the coffee down.

“Flashbacks?”

“Repressed memories - did you know he’s been having nightmares?” I shook my head, shocked. 

“My room’s soundproofed. You know that.” So I could practice. Had James been having nightmares this entire time, and I hadn’t noticed? Some friend I was.

“He went full-on Winter Soldier three times. Four if you count last night.”

This wasn’t happening. “Last night?”

“Steve was trying to get him to go home and get some sleep, and Barnes tried to kill him.”

“Oh no.”

“He came back pretty quick - as soon as Rogers used his name, but still.” Tony ran a hand over his hair. “He’s unraveling Eve, and if he does that to you, at your place, I don’t know if I can get there in time.”

“Ok, first of all, overprotective much? If Steve can calm James down, I bet I can too.”

“Before he kills you?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t trust him, Eve. Not with you.”

“I do.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Listen, Tony. I know you’re feeling overprotective right now. But you have to let me live my life, just like before.” He looked like he wanted to protest, so I kept going. “And by the way, good morning, Tony. How are you feeling?”

“Besides the massive hangover proving once and for all that I’m not twenty anymore?”

“Yeah, besides that.” We shared a grin, and I gulped the rapidly-cooling coffee.

“I don’t know.”

“Me neither.” More coffee. “I don’t know why anything has to change, really. I mean, you were kind of my dad anyway, and you’re my bio dad now.”

“If people find out, they’ll want you to change your name, and being a Stark isn’t all fun and games.” He smirked. “Although some of it is fun and games.”

“So we don’t tell them. Unless you want to?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to become the heir apparent to Stark Industries. And I wasn’t Eve Stark. I was Eve Bates. But I’d think about it, if Tony wanted. 

It was Tony’s turn to look uncertain. “I don’t know.” 

“Think about it,” I suggested. “Either way, it’s not going to change the way I feel about you.”

“And how do you feel about me?”

“You’re the closest thing to family I have left. Hell, as far as I’m concerned, you are my family, you and Pepper. And the fact that you’re my bio dad, well, sure, it weirds me out a little, and it makes me mad at Mom for keeping it from me - from us.

“In the spirit of total honesty, though, I’m not sure I’m going to be ready to call you Dad for a while - I mean, I had one of those. He held me when I was sick, and taught me how to drive, and loved me. And died. So I don’t know about that. But I love you just as much. What about you?”

Tony looked a bit taken aback. I suppose I hadn’t been that direct, ever, about what I considered Tony. “Huh. You are more evolved than I am, kiddo.”

“And what else is new?” I snarked.

“I love you too, Eve, you know that.” I nodded. “And I’ve considered you the closest thing to a kid I was ever capable of having. And now you’re my kid? I mean, I’m thrilled, I guess?” I laughed at the questioning tone. “Anyway. I know I should be happy. But I’m scared. And I’m not the best guy to have for a dad.” He held up his hand. “Stop it. You know it’s true. Even if I were perfect dad material, which I’m not, I’m a Stark. People expect things of me. Of us, I guess.” A sardonic grin. “And of course, you’re now the heir to the Stark fortune. Which I know you didn’t want. I’d be lying if I didn’t want you to get everything you want, but I don’t know if you want this.”

“I don’t think I do either,” I said. 

We sipped coffee in silence. Dum-E came up and butted my hip. 

“Hey bud,” I said, giving him a pat. “How’s it going?”

“He hasn’t doused me with a fire extinguisher in a week,” Tony said.

“Really?” I said, smiling down at the bot. “Congrats, Dum-E! I think that’s a new record for you!” I proffered a fist, which the bot bumped. 

Tony’s phone beeped.

“I have to go soon,” he said. “Board meeting. What do you want me to say?”

“I don’t think I should be choosing for us both,” I said slowly.

“I’ve had three days to think about this, kiddo. For now, you get to call the shots.” Tony looked back levelly. He had thought about this. 

“Ok. Well,” I looked down at my now-empty coffee cup. “This is probably stupid, and will land us both in major therapy later.”

“I like that option. Spill.”

“I say we carry on as we have before. Restrict access to the information to the people who absolutely have to know. The Avengers, maybe Coulson. Fury, because he’ll know anyway. And then, just see what happens.”

“I like it.” I got the full-on Tony Stark grin. “I knew you were smart.”

“Or delusional.” I gave a smirk of my own as Tony’s phone beeped again. 

“I’d better go.” 

“See ya, Tony,” I said, giving him a hug. “Try not to kill the Board.”

“It’s a constant struggle,” he said, heading out. I sat with the bots for a minute, digesting. Then I got up as well. I had a roommate to talk to.

 


	32. Chapter 32

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve tries to find James

I tried the lounge. James wasn’t there. Sam, who was hanging out, told me the boys were in the gym, sparring, and offered to show me the way.

“Can I tell Yundu?” he asked.

“Sorry,” I said. “I know it’s a lot to ask. But for now, I really don’t want anyone knowing who doesn’t absolutely have to. I’m not telling Miles and Jo either.”

“Ok,” Sam said, nodding. “I think you could trust her to keep the secret, though.”

“I know,” I said. “I know it’s selfish, Sam. I don’t want to deal with her reaction and mine at the same time. If that makes me a bad friend, so be it.”

“Fair enough. Can I tell her you’re ok, though?”

“As close as I’m going to get,” I said, nodding. 

“Here we are,” Sam said, pushing open a door for me. I stepped into a padded room. There were a few treadmills, free weights, a rowing machine, and other assorted exercise things on one side of the room. My attention, however, was drawn to the other side, where there were two squares painted on the floor. One was surrounded by ropes like a boxing ring. The other wasn’t. And it was this one that I gravitated to.

Steve and James were facing each other inside the square, both in identical T-shirts and track pants. They were circling slowly, and suddenly they moved. I couldn’t tell who had moved first, but they flowed into motion as if some conductor had given a cue. Steve’s block appeared almost before James went in for the punch, Steve’s sweeping kick already in motion as James took a step in, avoiding it.

I didn’t really know what was going on - I didn’t have the training. I just stood there, two feet from the doorway, mouth hanging open. They were amazing, the pair of them. They moved so fast, so fast, I was sure it wasn’t just the serum working. Both men had worked for the abilities they’d gained. I watched, entranced, by two masters clearly at the pinnacle of their craft. 

“It’s really something, huh?” Sam asked, and I didn’t tear my gaze away from the duo as I nodded. I could tell something happened, but I wasn’t sure what, and suddenly James was on the ground, Steve’s fist at his throat, knee on his chest. 

“You’re distracted, Jasha,” Natasha called, and I actually noticed who the other bystanders were. Clint and Natasha, in tactical gear, a guy that was even bigger and blonder than Steve, who I assumed must be Thor, in armour and a cape, and Agent Coulson, in his mandatory suit and tie.

 _Jasha?_ I thought, and saw James nod as he took Steve’s hand and pulled himself to his feet. I’d heard rumours that he and Natasha had known each other from before SHIELD, but this was the first confirmation. And she used a diminutive for him. Interesting. 

I only thought about that for a minute, because James’ constantly roving eyes had found me and Sam, and he was staring at me. I wasn’t close enough to see his expression, but it definitely wasn’t a smile.

Sam walked forward, and I followed uncertainly. I felt a bit like I was intruding, in my jeans, bare feet, and tattered t-shirt. Although this t-shirt I was never giving up. This had been a bad idea. I could have cornered James at home. Assuming he even came home with me there. Why had I thought it would be a good idea to hunt him down again?

I almost turned around then and there, but I couldn’t exactly run now that everyone had seen me. So I followed behind Sam, bare feet padding almost noiselessly on the mats.

“Hi Eve,” Steve said, as if there was absolutely nothing abnormal with me being in the Avengers’ gym.

“Hi Steve,” I said as lightly as I could. “That was… amazing.” I gestured at the circle, where Barton and Natasha were getting limbered up. James came up to me as well, and it occurred to me that this was the first time I’d actually seen his metal arm. Sure, I knew it was there, and I’d seen glimpses, like when he rolled up his sleeves past his elbows to cook, or help me with dishes. And I saw the hand all the time. But I’d never seen the entire limb, exposed from shoulder to fingertip as it was in the cut-off t-shirt James was wearing. 

“Indeed,” boomed Thor. “The Captain and the Sargent are warriors of considerable skill.”

“You must be Thor,” I said, grinning and looking up at the man.

“And you must be the Lady Eve,” he said, taking my hand and kissing it, instead of shaking it like I was expecting. Asgardians certainly were gallant. “I have heard much about you.”

“Oh dear,” I said with a small grin. It was easy, these polite formalities.

“Only good things,” Steve assured me. And James had yet to talk to me. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I turned to my roommate.

“Sorry to bug you, but can we talk? Later?” I hated my words the second they came out of my mouth. They sounded stilted, and awkward. James took one look at Steve, who nodded.

“I’m done here for now. Talk once I’ve had a shower?”

“Lounge?” I could be as terse as he was. Not that James showering didn’t give me plenty to think about anyway.

“Right.” He headed off to one of the other doors, and I just kind of looked after him, not even watching the doors for once.

“You ok, Eve?” Steve asked. I shook myself. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I said, even as my head shook. “Don’t worry about me.” Then I remembered I had a bone to pick with the soldier. “Why didn’t you two tell me James had issues on the mission?” I asked. “Tony told me he Wintered out three times. And once last night.”

“We didn’t want to worry you,” Steve said, leading me away from where Clint and Natasha were now sparring. “Not with the whole Tony situation.”

“When will you people finally learn?” I asked, actually throwing my hands in the air. “Putting off telling me about a situation only makes things worse. I’m entirely capable of telling someone when I can’t handle it.” I shook my head. “Honestly. You all think I’m this little china doll to be protected and handled with care.” I leaned my head against the elevator doors. 

“You’re the only innocent one in all this,” Steve said. 

“Huh?” 

“You’ve never been in combat. You’ve never killed anyone, or had anyone try and kill you. And we’d like to keep it that way.” Steve’s eyes darkened as he followed me into the elevator. “Especially James.”

“Overprotectiveness I get,” I said, saving Steve’s explanation to think about later. “But not telling me things? That’s not protecting me, Steve. That’s keeping me in the dark. And I’m not a fan.” I pulled my hands into my sleeves and wished very much that I’d just stayed in bed that morning.

Steve sighed. “Sorry, Eve.”

“Apology accepted,” I said. I knew the next question was the wrong one to ask, but I had to. “James really Wintered out last night?”

Steve sighed again, raking a hand through his hair. “After you left, he went back to your place, grabbed your stuff, and came back. All fine. Then we stayed up, watching movies - Indiana Jones.” I grinned, a bit sad I’d missed the boys’ introduction to the world’s best archeologist. “I suggested that he might want to go home and get some sleep at around midnight, and he was gone.” Steve shook his head. “He just sat there, like he used to, with that blank look on his face. I said something, and he tried to throttle me.”

My heart broke. Poor James. “Oh.” It was all I could say. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as always for reading and commenting, you are wonderful lovely humans!


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James have their talk...

I was Googling when James came in. I decided I’d look up Tony online. Always a bad idea, true, but I wanted to see what the Stark media coverage actually looked like, especially as I kind of was one, now. I looked up from a picture of Tony and Pepper at a fundraiser last months as the lift doors opened and James stepped through, hair still wet from the shower. He’d changed back into normal clothes, metal arm covered again by a long-sleeved t-shirt.

“Eve,” he said, coming to sit next to me. 

“James,”I replied. I didn’t say anything for a minute. 

“I should have told you about JARVIS,” he said.

I nodded. “Yes.” I turned to face him, sliding the computer off my lap and onto the coffee table. “Why didn’t you?” _Don’t you trust me?_

“I didn’t want to bother you,” he said. “You were worrying about moving in, and your new job, and Spencer,” he spat the name. “You had enough on your plate without dealing with my shit.”

I shook my head at him. “No, no it doesn’t work that way,” I said, for the first time actually a bit angry with him. “I’m your friend, dummy. By default, it means your shit is my shit. Doesn’t matter what I’m dealing with as well - if you have a problem, it’s my problem too. Double when we live together.” Now James was shaking his head.

“Listen here, soldier boy,” I said, grabbing his metal hand even though it was slightly further away than his flesh and blood one. He looked at me. “I care about you, ok? I’m your friend because I want to be, not because I have to be. And what’s that thing that you and Steve say to each other - ’til the end of the line?” I took a deep breath. “Well, me too. Doesn’t matter whether you feel the same way or not. I’m in. Until the end of the line.” I didn’t dare look at him after that. It was as close to a declaration of my real feelings as I’d been able to come, and I wasn’t sure why I’d suddenly spilled my guts now. Perhaps I’d just thought that with my personal life in flux, it was time to lay most of my cards on the table. At least I hadn’t actually come out and confessed my love. If he rejected my friendship I’d be damaged enough.

 _Time to man up,_ I thought, and raised my eyes from where they’d been staring at our interlocked hands. 

“I don’t want to hurt you,” James half-whispered as I met his gaze.

“Life is pain, in case you hadn’t noticed,” I half-joked. “But seriously, I’m not worried about you trying to kill me.”

“Why not?” 

It was my turn to shake my head. “I don’t know, really. I trust you. I’ve trusted you ever since I met you. Haven’t had to think twice about it.” _So don’t betray that trust,_ I thought.  _Don’t you do it, Barnes. I don’t think I could handle it._  

“No one else trusts me with you,” he said. “Not Steve, not Tony.”

“Do you?” 

The question hung in the air. 

“I can’t imagine…” he started. “I don’t know what I’d do if I did hurt you, Eve.” I sighed. 

“We’re speaking in hypotheticals anyway,” I said. “What about JARVIS? Do you still want him watching our place?”

James froze, and I wasn’t sure what I’d said. Was it JARVIS, was it the change of subject? Was it ‘our place’? “Yes,” he said. “I think JARVIS should stay. Just in case.” I glanced at him. He looked as tired as I felt, stressed, and worried. Which of course made me cave.

“All right. He stays.”

“I do trust you, you know,” James said suddenly. I turned my head sharply - I’d been zoning out again, his hand still resting lightly in mine. 

“I trust you,” he repeated. “You’re… good. And kind, and you make excellent cookies.” He smirked, and I felt my lips twitch in response. “It’s me I don’t trust.” He looked out into the room, and I _felt_ it when he went into Winter mode. His hand snapped away from mine, and all expression dropped from his face. His head swivelled almost robotically and he looked at me, blue-grey eyes cold.

My pulse sky-rocketed. I wasn’t scared, because even now, I couldn’t believe James would actually hurt me. I was just focused on how to get him back. 

“James?” I asked. No reaction. He just sat there, still as a statue, practically motionless. I could even barely see him breathing. “James?” I repeated, and moving slowly, I put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s me, Eve,” I said as my hand landed, and I could feel the shudder as James came back. 

James looked at me, eyes wide, scanning me for bruises or cuts. “Did I hurt you?”

I shook my head with a smile. “Nope. Didn’t touch me.” 

He put his head in his hands, dislodging my hand still resting on his shoulder. “I don’t get it. Why now? I was doing so well.”

I scooted a few inches closer, so our thighs were practically touching, and put a hand on his back. When he didn’t protest, I started stroking his back in circles, from one shoulder blade to the other, then back again. “It’ll be ok, James.” I said. “I don’t think this is a straight line kind of thing.” 

“I just…” 

“I know,” I said, never letting my hand stop moving, continuing what I hoped was a soothing motion. After a while, James sat up, and I let my hand fall back to my lap. 

“Do you remember the first day when we got into the guest house?” he asked. “When I…”

“Hulked out?” I suggested.

“Sure,” he gave an absent grin. “And afterwards, you said you needed a hug?”

“Yeah,” I replied, not quite knowing where this was going.

“I need a hug,” James said.

“Oh, honey,” I said, the words pulled out of my lips before I could help it as I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him as far as I could. He let his head fall onto my shoulder as his own arms fell around my waist. I was sure we looked fairly ridiculous, this big bear of a man seeking comfort from, well, me. I didn’t care, though. I just rested my head against his and closed my eyes. 

No one needed to know I’d have stayed in that position forever, if it helped James at all. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Public Service Announcement:
> 
> I'm going away for a long weekend, so I won't be posting Saturday, Sunday, or Monday mornings. However, I am hoping to have some time to write this weekend, so hopefully that will mean the daily postings can continue longer when I get back. 
> 
> Thanks as ever for reading, and there will be more on Tuesday!


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve tries to process...

I sat at my desk overlooking the window in my room, a tea to my right, my phone blaring Mahler 5. I was supposed to be writing work emails. Or starting the blog I’d told Yves I’d write.

But my mind just couldn’t settle. 

It was almost a week now since I’d touched down in New York - six days, to be precise, and in most ways, it was as if nothing had changed. I still ran with Sam on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and, if I was feeling masochistic, Saturdays. Today, I’d been feeling masochistic, and Sam and I had run six miles. In just over 50 minutes. 

Work had resumed without a hitch, and Otto was trying to wrangle me into doing something special for the Met Opera gala this year. I still had to come up with a few ideas for that for Monday, and I was stuck. And practice was, well, practice. I kept playing, pieces were still as hard as ever. Sometimes I wondered whether I’d ever feel like I mastered the violin.

“The day you do that is the day you get complacent,” I muttered, downing the rest of my tea and standing up. I was just too worked up to get anything done right now. I grabbed my violin from where it was lying on my bed. I’d practiced a bit earlier before I’d abandoned that as well. Making sure I was in tune, I played a quick scale before starting on the Bach Chaconne. 

13 minutes or so of complete emotional catharsis, the piece was my go-to when I was just too emotional to do anything else. I’d played it almost nonstop after my parents’ funeral, and after Spencer had, well, been Spencer. And it was one of my favourite pieces in the entire world. Things seemed better once I’d played the thing through.

My fingers moved through the familiar opening chords as I let my mind wander to what was bothering me. 

James, of course. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what was different. We’d gone back to our routine - the shared meals, the evenings on the couch, watching trash TV. But it was different. He seemed more wary, almost. Or careful. I thought it might be that he was still worried about hurting me, but I didn’t see why. He hadn’t Wintered out, to the best of my knowledge, since he’d done it with me at the Tower.

And yet, there was something, I thought, starting the arpeggio section with a sigh. A fraction of a second’s delay before he handed me a plate. Or the way he constantly asked me if I was cold now, when I was curled up on the couch. It wasn’t my fault I felt compelled to form a small ball when I watched TV, I swear! I wasn’t cold. Or how he was almost terse in text messages now, even though he still checked every night to see what our dinner plans were.

At least he and Tony had squared it between them, I thought. They’d closeted themselves in the lab a few days after I’d come back while I was in a meeting, and both had come out alive, so I counted it a success. Sam had told me that morning that James had even started coming out of his shell more with the other Avengers, for which I was grateful. He should have friends other than me, right?

I concentrated as I hit the major section. It was one of my favourite moments of the piece. I played those first double-stops, the serene feeling of the music sinking deep into my bones, and smiled as I thought to last night. We’d been watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, because apparently they hadn’t watched it the other day, and James had fallen asleep next to me. I’d ended up just watching him instead, the way the colours on the screen played across his features, throwing his jawline and cheekbones into stark relief. About five minutes in, I’d realised I was being a creepy stalker and muted the TV. I tucked him in with the blanket he’d brought for me, and had crept off to read a bit before I went to bed, as the jet lag was not treating me kindly.

There wasn’t really anything I could do differently, though, I reflected as the music started to speed up. I was trapped. I liked my decisions so far. I was in love with James, yes? Definitely yes. And I wanted to keep him in my life, yes? No question. 

Was I ever going to tell him the way I felt? No. I slid back into minor with that thought. No, I wasn’t going to tell him. I doubted he felt the same way, because why would he? I was, as he’d said, a friend. Nothing more. Not to him. And I was selfish enough to want him in my life, so I’d say nothing to jeopardise that. 

I loved him, it hurt he didn’t feel the same way, and now he was being weird. But until I either moved on - _not going to happen_ , I informed myself,  _not anytime soon_ \- or spilled my guts, I was stuck. In limbo. _Better start looking for a rental, Eve,_ I thought snidely, _You’re going to be here a while._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm off after posting this, so I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! See you lovely folks on Tuesday!


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Stark Family Meeting and a Disney movie.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather come spend time with me? And Pepper? Well, mostly me. Of course.”

“I’m sure,” I said, half-laughing. Tony and I were at the end of one of our semi-obligatory “So he’s my dad now” talks. Bi-weekly, on Wednesday and Friday evenings, for Starks only. We just talked. Mostly about the whole parent-thing. About how life would have been different, had we both known. About Mom and Dad. About the Starks in general, and about SI today. I’d learned more about Stark Industries in the past two weeks than I’d ever wanted to know, really. Stock values just didn’t interest me that much, frankly.

We had our differences, of course. I still blamed Mom. I really disliked her at this point, actually, and I couldn’t exactly call her to yell at her about it, which made things worse. I’d had my own quiet, private, freakout about that the other day while I was running. I was pretty certain no one had found out about it either, and I was fairly proud of myself for it. Tony, on the other hand, didn’t blame Mom as much.

Mostly because, he said, he remembered what he was like back when I was born. Apparently I wouldn’t have liked him much. I accepted that, I supposed, but that didn’t stop me from really disliking my mother. And pitying my father. Fathers. Plural. 

“Anyway,” I continued, patting Tony on the head. “It’s date night. Much as Pepper loves me, she’s been looking forward to having you all to herself, and I am not one to stand between Pepper Potts and something she wants.”

Tony laughed. “Me neither.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and I put my hands up.

“Nope, don’t even finish that thought,” I said. “I don’t want to know.” I stuck my fingers in my ears. “Lalalalalalalala.” I could hear Tony continuing to chuckle. 

“So what are you going to be doing with your Friday evening? Hot date?” I made a face. That was the other thing lying between Tony and me and complete honesty. The last thing I wanted to do was discuss my love for James with my uncle/father. So I didn’t. 

“Ha.” I said shortly. “I think not.”

“Really?” Tony was a bit surprised. “Because I was informed that you and the Captain-“ I started to laugh.

“Me and Steve?” I chuckled. “Seriously?” I shook my head. “No. Never in a million years would that work. No. So much no.” Tony’s eyebrows rose and I realised he’d really thought Steve and I were a thing. “Who told you this?” I asked. 

“Your roommate - Sargent Cyberman.”

“How- Why-“ I spluttered. “Why would he think that?”

“You were wearing a shirt with Cap’s logo on it the other day,” Tony said. “And you and Cap seem to spend a lot of time together.”

“Yeah, it was an old one of James’. And yes, I do spend a lot of time with Steve. And James,” I said, then clapped my hand over my mouth as Tony’s jaw dropped. Oops. He was always quick at putting two and two together.

“You? And Barnes?” Tony’s eyebrows drew together.

“Christ, Tony, no, nothing like that!” I said, trying to reassure him. I looked down at my hands, which seemed to have twined themselves into a knot without my permission. “It’s just a crush, Tony. Don’t worry about it. In fact, forget I even said anything. He doesn’t feel the same way, so the point is moot.”

Tony was shaking his head with a grin, and it was my turn to be confused. “Don’t be so sure about that, kiddo.” 

“Yeah, whatever,” I said, wanting to get out of the room before I spontaneously combusted. Judging from how hot my face felt, I could probably fry a few eggs on my cheeks. “I’m going to go to movie night. Tell Pepper I said hi?”

“Sure.” 

“And, Tony, if you tell anyone about this? Even Pepper?” I looked at Dum-E. “I know your secrets. All of them. And I will spill them without mercy.”

“I’m quaking in my boots,” Tony said drily. 

“Two words,” I said, holding up two fingers. “Mardi Gras.” Tony looked scared. I grinned. “Beware.”

 

 

“So what’s the movie tonight?” I asked settling down in my usual spot between Steve and James. Yes, this wasn’t exactly a spot to do anything to allay my feelings for James, but it’s where I’d always sat, so unless I wanted things to get weird, I was going to continue sitting here. And continue pretending I didn’t want to jump the man sitting to my right. 

I overthought everything.

“Princess Bride,” Clint said. 

“Nice,” I said with approval, snagging a handful of popcorn. 

“I never liked that movie,” Natasha said from the love seat.

“You never liked Princess Bride?” I asked in shock. Sam caught my eye, knowing what I was about to say, so we chorused together. 

“Inconceivable!” I burst out laughing, almost falling into Steve, who propped me up with a tolerant smile.

“Do you think we’ll ever get her references, Bucky?” he asked James over my head.

“Doubt it,” James said, grinning. “That’s part of the fun, though.”

“Glad you think so,” I snarked.

“This is all hilarious and everything,” Clint remarked from Natasha’s side, “But are we going to start the movie?” 

“As you wish,” Sam smirked, and pushed play. I giggled again, and saw the Brooklyn Boys share another glance. 

 

 

“I don’t get it,” James said. “Why would Buttercup marry Humperdinck anyway? It’s not like he’s some great romantic prize.”

“He’s a prince,” Sam said. “And she thought Westley was dead.”

“But still,” James protested. “She didn’t love him.”

“Can we get a female perspective on this?” Sam asked, turning to me. Natasha had left after Westley defeated Fezzik, so I was the only girl left. I’d been half following the conversation. Mostly I was so sleepy I was fighting to stay awake and upright. It would be so tempting to fall asleep on James’ shoulder. 

“Huh?” I said, coherently. 

“Why did Buttercup marry Humperdinck?” James asked again. “I don’t get it.”

“I don’t get it either,” I said. “I mean, she needs to marry him so the plot can go forward, right? And Buttercup’s kind of a pro at standing in the way of her own personal happiness. But really? Humperdinck? I can’t see it either. There’s no way that’s a willing marriage. Maybe he’s blackmailing her.”

“You think?” Steve asked, still seated to my left.

“Yeah,” Sam put in. “Blackmail’s a little dark for what’s essentially a Disney movie.”

“Oh, I dunno,” I said, yawning. “I’m tired. I’m probably babbling nonsense anyway.” I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked at James.

“Want to go home?” he asked. 

I nodded. “Gods, yes. Take me home, please.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely humans!
> 
> Hope you had a great weekend, and hope you enjoy the chapter. Shenanigans will be ensuing in the next couple of days... Long awaited shenanigans.


	36. Chapter 36

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve has problems at work. James is, well, James.

I walked in the front door, practically slamming it behind me. _That idiotic woman,_ I thought, peeling off my jacket and tossing it on the couch instead of hanging it up neatly. _Musicians don’t like to work for free. No one does. It’s like asking a heart surgeon to perform your quadruple bypass, setting up the operation, then saying ‘Oh, dreadfully sorry, I don’t have the cash this month, and it’s all for a good cause anyway, so you don’t mind doing all this work for nothing, do you?’ Ridiculous._

I put my violin on my bed and proceeded to silently fume for a few more minutes as I stalked back to the kitchen and made tea. Now I was going to have to talk to all of my friends, again - because musicians tend to be friends, by the way - and tell them that, no, they weren’t getting paid, and that unless I could pull funding from out of thin air, I wasn’t going to be able to fund their travel either. Idiotic Heather. I could really use Natasha or Clint’s particular skill set right about now. I hated when someone screwed around people like that. You just didn’t do it, in my world. Evil evil person. 

The door opened. “Eve?”

Just what I needed. “Hiya James, didn’t expect you home this early.”

“Nat’s still nursing her sprained ankle,” James said, walking into the kitchen, hair still wet from the shower he’d taken at the Tower. “What’re you doing here? I thought you were working all day.”

“Ha,” I spat. “I’d love to be working on the travel details for the concert in two weeks. Doing something like booking flights, or calling the printers about programs.” I pulled the teabag out of the hot water. “But it’s a little difficult to book flights when you don’t have money to book them with.”

“What happened?” I realised this was the first time James would have seen me quite this angry. It didn’t happen often. 

“That moron Heather, Heather Rassmussen from the Kurand foundation? The one that was supposed to be funding this entire shindig?” James nodded. “She said the funding’s unavailable. And she just expected us to show up anyway, to play for free, because it’s “for a good cause”.” I fingerquoted the last few words. I banged a hand on the table. “It’d be one thing if it was just me she was screwing over, but I know for a fact that Lincoln and Wes turned down some really lucrative stuff to come and play. So now they’re missing out on that as well.” I sighed. “You have no idea how close I came to using the stuff Tasha’s been teaching me today.” I’d taken Natasha up on her offer to teach me basic self-defense, and I’d been so tempted to take Heather’s arm and break it in several places. So very very tempted.

“I take it she’s still breathing?” James asked. 

“For now,” I grumbled. I took a sip of tea, inhaled too much, and coughed, burning not only my tongue but the roof of my mouth as well. “Shit!”

James took the cup from me so I didn’t scald myself further. “Anything I can do?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t think so.”

“Don’t be sorry,” James said. “It’s not your fault.”

“I know,” I retorted. “No, Ms. Rassmussen needs to stay alive and breathing for now. And if there’s any torturing to be done, believe me, I’ll do it.”

“You couldn’t,” James chuckled. I spun to face him, furious.

“What makes you think I couldn’t, Barnes?” I demanded. 

“I just… I don’t think you have it in you,” James said, and I could see the realisation he’d said something wrong dawning on his face as he spoke. 

I snorted. “You have no idea what I’m capable of,” I said. 

“I’d like to think you’re not capable of that,” James said, his own eyes hard now. 

“What, disappointed I’m not the innocent flower you seem to think I am?” I didn’t really know what I was saying. I probably didn’t even mean half of it, but James was providing me an outlet for the anger I felt at Heather, as well as an outlet for the frustration I’d been feeling over my feelings for him. This couldn’t end well, and I really didn’t care.

“It’s not like that,” James protested. 

“I’m not a good person, James,” I told him, taking my tea back, not caring if lightning shot up my arm where our fingers touched, not caring that still-hot tea cascaded down my fingers. “Never claimed to be.”

“But you are!” James looked down. “Not like me.”

“I’m just as good a person as you are!”

“You haven’t killed people.”

“So?” I put my tea down. I needed both hands to argue with him like this. “Not because I haven’t wanted to, sometimes, Jimmy Boy. Believe me, sometimes only the knowledge that I’d surely get caught and that it wasn’t worth the effort have stopped me. Not because I have any objection to seeing some people dead. Why do you think Spencer’s still alive?”

James’ jaw dropped, then he closed it. “No, I don’t believe it.”

“He cheated on me, James,” I said, voice as cold as ice. “In my own bed. I’d be odd if I hadn’t considered killing him.” I considered. “And you’re a much better person than I am.”

“How so? I don’t even know how many people I killed.”

“Not of your own free will,” I said. “And you’re a soldier. It’s kind of in the job description.”

“And you still think I’m a good person?”

“You’re kind, you’re considerate,” I said, ticking items off on my fingers. “You want to be a better person. You never leave me in the lurch, you’re absolutely always there when I need you. Does that sound like a bad person to you?”

“And it doesn’t bother you that I kill people for a living?”

“Do you think it’s the right thing to do?” I elaborated when James stopped. “Don’t think about HYDRA now. Are you doing what you think is right at this moment?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s good enough for me,” I replied, stepping closer to tap James’ chest just above where his heart ought to be. “You do what you think is right, and I’ll be there to back your play.”

“You’re incredible.” I wouldn’t have heard it if I hadn’t been so close, that was how softly he spoke.

“No more so than you,” I said. “I’m so lucky to have you in my life, James Barnes. Don’t you forget that.”

“Eve,” he breathed, pulling me into his chest, arms wrapping securely around my waist. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” My heart flipped, then started pounding, fast and furious in my ear. Surely he could hear it?

“You’d be fine,” I said, voice a little muffled by the fabric of his shirt. 

His arms tightened around me. “I don’t know about that.” He pulled away, looking down at me. “You really have no idea of how amazing you are, do you?”

“Quit trying to butter me up, Barnes,” I mumbled, looking down. I wasn’t ready for the look in his eyes. 

“No, I’m serious.” He put a hand underneath my chin and tilted my head so I was looking at him again. “You, Eve Bates, opened your life to a half-crazed, dangerous soldier without a qualm. You’ve been nothing but supportive, you always have my back without question, and you ask for nothing in return. You cook, you bake for all of us. You’re kind, you’re generous. You more than put up with me, even though I’ve almost killed you a few times.” I should, by rights, have been embarrassed, but James looked so sincere that I didn’t even blush.

I rested my forehead against James’ collarbone. “It’s been my pleasure, really,” I mumbled. “I never even considered doing anything else.”

“And that’s why I love you.”

My head snapped up, hitting James in the jaw. “Christ, sorry!” I said, reaching up instinctively to cup James’ jaw in one hand. 

“I don’t break that easily,” he said with a crooked smile, even though I could feel his breathing hitch just slightly as I ran my fingers along his jawline, feeling the stubble there. 

“You’re sure?” I asked. I’d just headbutted him, and he was just smiling at me.

“Supersoldier, remember?”

“I seem to recall that, yes,” I said, my grin matching his own. My hand still hadn’t left James’ face, instead moving to stroke the line of his cheekbone. James closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. 

“I love you too,” I said, before I could chicken out. James eyes flashed open, and he just stared at me, jaw falling open. “Still there?” I asked after a few seconds, when he hadn’t moved a muscle. I swear he had even stopped breathing. 

He inhaled, closing his eyes and pulling me closer. “Repeat that for me?” he asked, eyes still closed. “I think I missed that.”

“As you wish,” I said, and his eyes flew open again as he recognised the reference. “I love you, James Buchanan Barnes.”

“I thought that’s what you said,” he whispered, leaning down to press his forehead to mine. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say here...except - Gods, finally!!
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	37. Chapter 37

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James being adorable.

“I thought that’s what you said,” he whispered, leaning down to press his forehead to mine. 

We stood there for endless moments, staring into each other’s eyes. I thought of pinching myself - it seemed impossible that this was happening. Could this be real? Had James really just said he loved me? Then my brain ground to a halt, because James tilted his head, angled it just so, and kissed me.

His lips brushed ever so gently over mine before he pulled away to look into my eyes. I smiled up at him, trying to convey all the things I shouldn't say, not yet, only with my expression, with my hands which were still on his shoulders.

"Was that... Was that okay?" He asked softly, his voice almost an octave lower than usual.

"Very okay." I nodded, then decided to tease him, just a bit. "Any chance of a repeat performance?"

He grinned in that way that he seemed to save only for me, then brought his lips back down to mine. This time I twisted my hands around the back of his neck and deepened the kiss, pressing my lips to his more firmly. He groaned in the back of his throat, sending a shiver down my spine and pulled me even closer, wrapping one arm even more firmly around my middle.

My world seemed to vanish until the only thing that mattered was James - his lips on mine, his hand on my cheek. My hands were in his hair by now, tangling in it, and I didn't even care how much time he was going to need later to get it respectable again.

 

Eventually we pulled back from each other. I was seeing stars and panting for breath. Kissing James was magical and all, but oxygen was pretty amazing too. I was gratified, then, when I realized that James was also breathing hard. He leaned his forehead on mine.

"That's better than I remember," he rasped.

"Mmm," I replied with a smile. "For me too."

"Don't hum like that," James protested, moving away slightly.

"Why?" I asked, having a feeling I knew the reason. "Mmmm." I drew out the hum longer this time, practically purring out my satisfaction. James pulled further away from me, separating our lower halves.

"You know perfectly well why, Eve," he practically growled, and I could see how hard he was working to keep his voice steady. My stomach dropped as well and heat flooded to my face. James took a deep breath and stepped fully away from me, so only our foreheads still touched. I quirked my eyebrows, or tried to. It was more difficult with someone else's forehead in the way.

"Too fast?" I asked.

He smiled gently. "Too fast and not fast enough, all at the same time." I grinned.

"Ditto," I said. One of his hands traced lightly over my cheek, and I shivered.

"Cold?" He asked, pulling me in for a hug.

"The opposite," I said, nestling my head into his shoulder contentedly.

 

 

 

"So how are we going to do this?" James asked that afternoon. We both had the afternoon off, and we had planned to spend it draped over the couch, watching movies. And we had spent the afternoon watching movies. Well, half-watching movies. I'd ended up snuggled into James about five minutes into Die Another Day, and we'd gotten a bit ... Distracted.

"By this you mean, what, exactly?" I asked, lifting my head from his shoulder and looking him in the eye.

He poked my nose with a gentle finger. "Us," he said. "What are we going to do about us?"

"Us," I said, savoring the word. "Yeah, we should probably talk about that." James hand was tracing lazy circles on my back, distracting me. I rolled off of him, keeping hold of his hand. "I can't think when you're touching me," I said when James looked confused. He grinned wickedly, and I blushed. "So, us," I said, collecting my thoughts. "I think we should take it carefully." James looked away. "Hang on, Barnes, let me finish," I said. His hand had loosened its grip on mine so that I was the one holding his hand. "It's not that. Look at me, please." He turned his head. "I'm all in, James," I said, "like you and Steve say - 'till the end of the line." James grinned faintly.

"I hear a 'but'," he said.

"But that's a bit scary," I said, looking away. "You know what happened last time. Not that I would ever think you'd do that to me," I continued hurriedly. "Never in a million years. But that's the way I fall in love, James. All or nothing." James nodded. "I just don't want to screw us up." I dropped my head into my hands. "God that sounded awful. Sorry."

"Don't be," James said. "I think I understand." He pulled me close again. "Not that I think you could do anything to screw us up."

"Oh good," I said, voice muffled by James' shoulder.

"Maybe we should just play it by ear," James said speculatively. "You're good at that, right?" I chuckled and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for everyone's information - I'm not super comfortable writing smut, so I'm not sure there will be any in here. However, some of my fluff can tend to the steamier side (especially with these two, for some reason...). You have been warned.
> 
> Thanks as ever for reading!


	38. Chapter 38

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Eve and James fluff.

I woke up slowly. Sun was pouring through our bay window and onto the couch, and I squinted as my eyes fluttered open. I groaned and shifted slightly, then stopped. I wasn’t alone. Someone else’s limbs were tangled up with mine, arms and legs intertwined. I turned my head, which was resting comfortably on a warm shoulder covered in blue cotton. Blue eyes blinked sleepily back at me.

“Morning, gorgeous,” James murmured, leaning forward the two necessary inches to give me a kiss. I kissed back, slowly, lazily. 

“We fell asleep on the couch again, didn’t we?” I asked once we separated. 

“Yeah,” he agreed, not moving an inch. I was similarly disinclined to budge.

“You make a good pillow,” I said, snuggling into his shoulder again. “Supremely comfortable.” One of his hands was tracing up and down my back. 

“Tell me something,” he said, after a we’d both been silent a while.

“What?”

“When did you realise you liked me as more than a friend? I don’t believe it was love at first sight.”

“It wasn’t,” I agreed. “More like friendship at first sight.” He chuckled. “No,” I went on, “I was still too damaged, from the move, from Spencer, to think about a relationship then. It didn’t even cross my mind that I might be attracted to you until Sam talked to me about it - after the gala. We were out running, and he brought it up. I told him he was crazy, and that it was none of his business anyway, but that conversation stopped me lying to myself. I realised that I was in love with you, and that I couldn’t say anything. I was too afraid of losing our friendship, or forcing a relationship on you that you didn’t want, to risk it. So I kept my mouth shut.” James looked somber at my revelation, so I reached up and poked his nose. “We figured it out eventually,” I reminded him with a grin. He smiled faintly. “And if you must know, I think I can date my feelings for you from when I first saw you in a tux.” I made an appreciative noise, and James grinned. _Good,_ I thought. _He ought to smile more._ “But tell me,” I said, suddenly curious myself, “when did you realise you had more than platonic feelings for me?”

He shook his head thoughtfully. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I think I’m going to steal a line from a movie. I was in the middle of it before I realized I had begun.”

“That’s not from just some movie,” I said, reaching up to kiss him again. I was still slightly in awe that I got to do that - to kiss James whenever I wanted to. And James was an excellent kisser. “That’s from Pride and Prejudice, you adorable man,” I said, slightly out of breath.

“Whatever,” James said, amusement clear on his face, then his eyes softened, and the hand that had been tracing patterns on my back came up to stroke my cheek. I closed my eyes automatically and leaned into the caress. “I still remember the first time I saw you,” he said softly. “You called me ‘Sargent Barnes’ when I thought that name was gone forever. You always knew what to say - you were a guardian angel.” I had opened my mouth to protest, but he put his hand over it. I made a face, then kissed his fingers. “You stood up to Tony, and to Steve.” He smirked a little, and I raised an eyebrow. “You know I thought you two were together, right?”

“What?” I lifted my head off his shoulder in shock. “Me? And Steve? Yeah, right. We’d kill each other in a week.”

“You think?”

“I do,” I said, “He’s too certain that whatever he thinks is right for my taste. And of course, I’m too much of a loose cannon for him, I think.” I pondered for a minute. ‘Yeah, about a week.” I remembered something. “That’s right - Tony said you told him you thought Steve and I were a thing. But why?”

“Why?”

“Why would you think that?”

James shrugged, and I felt the movement all the way down my body. _More time to think on that later,_ I informed my suddenly very interested libido. “We seemed to spend a lot of time together - you, me, and Steve. And you two always seemed to have your heads together, especially at the beginning.”

“Because we were talking about you,” I replied.

“And the other day, you were wearing a shirt with his shield on it,” he said.

I frowned, trying to remember. “Oh, you mean the day after I got back from England?”

“Yup.”

“It was your shirt, dummy,” I said, picking at James current t-shirt. “The shirt you brought me didn’t fit, so I raided your closet. It might have been his logo, but it was your shirt.” I smiled faintly at the memory. “And as far as I remember, everyone other than you got the message loud and clear.”

It was James’ turn to raise his eyebrows. 

“I think most of the Tower knew I had a thing for you,” I said. “Sam, Tony, Pepper, because Tony can never keep a secret from her. Probably Natasha and Clint. Maybe Steve.” James chuckled, and my libido again took interest in the way the movement made his chest press against mine.

“You ok there?” James asked. He’d probably noticed my change in expression. And now I thought about it, it seemed his voice had changed register as well, getting more deep and rumbly. I met his eyes. The blue of his irises was practically non-existent, so dilated were his pupils.

“Very,” I replied, and stretched to kiss him. 

The kisses started softly at first, growing more and more heated as James wound both arms around my back. One hand drifted lower to the edge of my shirt, then slipped underneath so he was touching skin. I gasped, and James used the opportunity to flip us both over.

Suddenly he was on top of me, his bulk comforting rather than crushing. His tongue was suddenly in my mouth, twining with my own, and his hands were both underneath my shirt questing upwards. My blood boiled and I was kissing him back, one hand in his hair while the other reached for his own shirt.

James pulled away and I followed instinctively, actually making a disappointed sound when he pulled away entirely. But then he reached above his head to take his shirt off, so I wasn’t complaining. I made to return the favour and had my shirt half-way off my head when there was a knock at the door.

James and I stared at each other, him shirtless, me with my head just barely out of my shirt. I shook my head slightly. _Maybe if we’re really quiet, they’ll go away_ , I thought. James nodded, seeming to understand my head shake, and said nothing. I looked up at him. He was stunning, shirtless, all rippling muscle and pale skin. I even loved that metal arm of his. It was James. 

I pulled my shirt all the way off, being as silent as I could, and watched James eyes follow my movements. He was still almost-kneeling on me, metal arm resting lightly on the back of the couch for balance. The knock came again, and this time someone called as well.

“Eve?” My eyes widened as I recognised the voice. I met James’ eyes, and I knew he’d recognised the voice as well. It was Spencer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear... I seem to love torturing these two, don't I?


	39. Chapter 39

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James deal with Spencer

“Eve?” Spencer called again. I sighed and flopped back down on the couch. 

“Just a sec!” I called. So much for a lazy morning. I rolled halfway over and quested for my shirt. James climbed off me and the couch, grabbing the garment, which had hung itself over the far end of the coffee table from my errant toss. “Thank you,” I told him, pulling the shirt on. He smiled, but the grin didn’t seem to reach his eyes. I went over to him and gave him a hug, brain still cataloguing the fact he was still shirtless. His arms went around me tightly, as if he was hanging on to me for dear life. 

“Do you want to go into your room?” I asked. Spencer knocked again, and James tightened his hold on me even further. I pulled away from James just enough to look into his face. His brow was furrowed, jaw clenched. I moved one hand from around his back to stroke his jaw. “I’ll get rid of him. I promise.” He leaned into my touch, relaxing fractionally. 

“Wait until I get my shirt on?” he asked, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. “I don’t want to leave you alone with him.”

“Sure.” Spencer knocked again. The man had no patience. 

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I shouted, letting my annoyance show. “Just a minute.” James stepped away, looking for his shirt. “Love seat,” I said, pointing and grinning. He’d really chucked the thing away when he’d taken it off, I thought. I moved to the front door, then waited. James pulled his shirt on over his head, then looked at me and nodded. I pulled open the door.

Spencer stood there, arm raised, clearly about to knock again. 

“Spencer,” I said flatly. “To what do I owe the pleasure.”

He looked me up and down, and I glanced at myself. My shirt was on inside-out, and I suddenly realised what I must look like. I was suddenly sure my lips were swollen, and my hair was messy. It must be clear to Spencer what he had interrupted.

“I - Hello, Eve,” he managed. “I - um, I was here to talk to you about the opera?”

“The opera?” I asked. I had no idea why he wouldn’t just go through channels and ask Otto or Yves. 

“Yes, the opera.” Spencer straightened, becoming his confident self once more. “May I come in?”

“Hang on.” I turned around, blocking Spencer’s view of the apartment with my back. James had moved closer, half-way between the front door and the couch, with plenty of access to the fire escape, the kitchen, or either bedroom. I wondered how close he was to Wintering out. The question must have been clear on my face, because James suddenly smiled. 

“Let him in, Eve,” he said, his smile broadening into a grin. “We don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”

“No we don’t,” I agreed, smiling back. I turned back to Spencer, who was obviously interested in who I’d been talking to. “Come in,” I said, opening the door and standing back for him to enter. 

 

 

Spencer took four steps into the flat and stopped. I’d been closing the door and making sure it was locked, so I didn’t realise the macho staring match Spencer had been engaging in until I turned around.James just stood there, hair tousled from where I’d had my hands in it, seemingly relaxed. I knew he had to be more tense than he was letting on, but he didn’t show it. Spencer, on the other hand, had a fist clenched at his side, and his jaw was working. He still had his overcoat on, for crying out loud!

The whole thing was suddenly so ridiculous that I chuckled. Both men turned to look at me. I just shook my head, grinning. James, eyes flickering between Spencer’s figure and mine, obviously figured out my humour and grinned back. Spencer just looked confused. 

“Do you want me to take your coat?” I asked, trying to smother my laughter. 

Spencer snapped into English courtesy mode and nodded. He shrugged out of his coat and handed it to me. “Thank you,” he said. He hadn’t lost any of the English accent, I’d noticed, even after weeks in New York. 

I just nodded and turned to hang up the coat. “You two remember each other, right? Spencer, James. James, Spencer.”

Spencer nodded jerkily. “I do. Nice to see you again.”

“Likewise,” James said. “Can I get you a cup of coffee or something?” I was so proud of him - the question was such a perfect blend of potential condescension and innocence. I couldn’t have done better.

“Yeah, mate, that’d be great.” I slid around Spencer to follow James into the kitchen. 

James gave me an absent smile as he grabbed mugs. I could tell he still wasn’t comfortable. Hell, I wasn’t comfortable either. “Coffee for you too?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” I said, placing a hand over his where it was resting on the counter. I squeezed, and he moved it so he could hold my hand properly in return. I looked into his eyes, trying to tell him that I was there, that we could kick Spencer out whenever he needed. I had no idea whether or not I managed, but Spencer cleared his throat, and I jumped. 

James chuckled, and I shot him a half-glare, hand still in his. 

“So you’ve moved on?” Spencer asked. I stared at him. He’d never been blunt when I’d known him. I glanced at James, who just shrugged. Apparently he was fine with letting me handle this one.

“It’s really none of your concern,” I told Spencer. I squeezed James’ hand one last time before letting it go, then turned my full attention to Spencer. “Now, you said you wanted to talk about the opera?”

“Yes,” Spencer said. He didn’t look happy, but he went along with the change in subject. “I come bearing an offer from the New York City Opera.” 

I quirked an eyebrow. “I thought you were guest conducting for them.” 

“It turns out that was more in the nature of a trial,” he said. “I didn’t want to tell you in case it didn’t work.” I sighed. Apparently ‘it is over, I don’t care what you do anymore’ wasn’t clear enough for Spencer. 

“So you’re their new conductor,” I said. Spencer nodded, then accepted the coffee James gave him. 

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” James handed me my coffee, giving me a kiss on the temple at the same time. “Do you need me in here? Cause otherwise I’ll head to my room.”

“I’m fine,” I said. I glanced between the two of them and wondered how I’d ever found Spencer attractive. I felt myself smirk. I’d definitely upgraded. “Are you?” James just nodded. 

“Call if you need anything.”

“I’ll find you after Spencer leaves,” I said. “Love you.” 

James smiled, one of the real smiles that lit his face. “Love you too.” 

I watched him leave, sappy smile still on my face.

“So you love him?” Spencer asked. “I thought he was your roommate?”

I put my coffee down on the counter. “Yes. And yes.” My previous good mood had vanished. “And what part of ‘this is no longer any of your business’ do you not understand?” Spencer was about to say something, but I drove right over it. “We are exes now, Spencer. We have been for months. You haven’t even spoken to me or seen me since the gala. It is no business of yours what I do in my personal life.” I took a breath. “You try and mess with me, or with James, and I will make sure you suffer. Have we quite understood?”

Spencer huffed then forced a chuckle. “Sure, sure, Eve. Whatever you say.” He obviously didn't believe me, and my restraint suddenly snapped.

“Get out.”

Spencer’s head jerked up. “Wha-?”

“You heard me.” I kept my tone firm and level. “Get out of my apartment. Now. If you have a business proposition for me, do it properly. Do not show up unannounced and uninvited again. Am I perfectly clear?” Menace laced my tone, and Spencer was clearly a bit intimidated, but trying to hide it. He got up from his bar stool and went to the door, picking up his coat along the way. I followed silently, making sure he left.

The second he was out of the door, I closed it and slammed the deadbolt home. “I should never have bothered answering the bloody door this morning,” I grumbled. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so funny story about this chapter.
> 
> I had a (very different) version of this written, but I realised yesterday that it was so OOC I was going to have to cut it... So I rewrote this yesterday, and I'm much happier with it.
> 
> Also, we've reached the point at which my posting and where I've written have finally intersected. I'm still going to try and post every day, but here's fair warning: we may have to go to every other day instead...


	40. Chapter 40

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another guest arrives...

“Eve?” James’ voice echoed into the entrance.

“He’s gone,” I replied, not bothering to shout. James would hear me anyway. Supersoldier hearing. Not two minutes later, James appeared to find me leaning against the door. 

Before I knew what was happening, I was in James’ arms, my face buried in his shirt. Had he moved, or had I? It didn’t matter, I resolved, curling my arms tighter around James’ middle. 

“I hate him,” I groaned into James’ shirt. “Such an ass.” James’ arms tightened around me. 

“What did he say?”

“You weren’t listening?” I pulled away from him just enough so I could raise an eyebrow at him. James went sheepish.

“I heard when you told him to get out,” he said. “But not what went on before.”

“That.” I practically spat it. “That was Spencer not understanding that a breakup means that I don’t have to share things with him anymore.” I chuckled. “I think he finally got the message, though,” I said, remembering the look on his face with a certain relish. 

“Mmm.” It was James’ only response as he rested his chin on my head. “Want to actually go and drink that coffee?” he asked eventually. I smiled.

“Gods yes.” We walked, hand in hand, to the kitchen, and picked up our discarded mugs. 

 

 

“I want to tell Steve,” James said, staring into his second cup of coffee.

“Tell Steve?” I probably should have expected this - I thought I knew what was coming.

“About us.” James looked uncertainly up at me.

“Ok,” I said, then paused. “Do you want to tell him together?”

James shook his head. “No, I want to do it.”

“Ok.” I paused again. “I want to tell Tony. And Pepper.”

“Alone?”

I grimaced, thinking about Tony’s possible reaction. It probably wasn’t going to be great. “I think that would be for the best.” I reached over and put my hand on his. It wasn’t far - we were sitting next to each other, and my flesh-and-blood hand reached for his metal one without a second thought. “It’s not because I’m ashamed of you, James.” James turned to look at me. I leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. “Far from it.”

“Maybe you should be,” he muttered, and I gave him a look.

“We’ve been over this,” I reminded him. “I’m not, and will not be ashamed of you, James Barnes, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, a small twinkle returning to his eyes. 

“Tony… doesn’t always think before he speaks,” I said, returning my own attention to my coffee cup. “And what with your pasts, and me being his daughter, I’m not sure what he’ll say. I’d like to spare you that. He will come around. But some things you can’t unhear, you know?”

There was a silence.

“I’m not sure that’s fair,” James said finally. I glanced at him, confused. “I mean,” he continued, tracing the rim of his mug with an absent finger, “I am the man who killed his family, in my own right mind or not.” I made a sound of protest, but James drove right over it. “And yes, you are his daughter, and he’s got a right to be protective of you.” James straightened. “And if I want to date you, I’d better be strong enough to deal with your father.”

He was too sappy for words, that man of mine. I just stared at him for a second. 

“Well, if that’s how you feel, then I guess we’ll tell him tomorrow.” I laughed. “You romantic 40s throwback.” I kissed him, then remembered I was still in yesterday’s clothes, teeth unbrushed. I pulled away reluctantly. “I think I’m going to go clean up for the day.”

“You look perfect to me, doll,” James murmured, the hand he’d put on my hip inching upwards underneath my shirt, fingers grazing bare skin.

I shook my head at him reprovingly. “Very funny, dear.” His eyes darkened at the term of endearment, but I went on, covering the hand which was still on my hip with one of my own. “I do need a shower. And to brush my teeth.” A cellphone sounded in the other room. Not mine. “And you need to get that.”

James half-stood to kiss me, but broke away when his phone rang again. He swore under his breath, some Russian I couldn’t quite understand. “Go take your shower,” he said, standing fully. “I’ll get the damn phone.”

I grinned at his tone, then ran a hand through my hair as I went to my room. It tangled half-way through. Of course. Brushing it was going to be total-

“Oh, hey Steve,” James said, and I turned in the hallway to meet his eyes. “Yeah, sure, come on up,” he continued. ‘That ok?’ he mouthed, and I nodded reluctantly. “Yeah, she’s here,” James said. “Just getting in the shower.” He listened to something Steve said, then turned bright red. I stifled a giggle. “No! No, I am not getting in the shower with her, you idiot.” I started to giggle in earnest and walked backwards out of the room with James mock-glaring at me. 

“Maybe next time,” I said quietly, knowing James would hear me. He just grinned at me and watched me go.

 

 

 

I stood just out of sight of the living room. Steve had arrived shortly after I’d reached my room, and I’d tried not to get too nervous while I was showering and getting changed. Nevertheless, I’d dithered over an outfit for five minutes, finally deciding I could at least pretend not to be bothered and put on jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. And now I was standing where neither of the soldiers could see me, trying to get up the guts to go in.

I couldn’t even understand why I was so nervous - it wasn’t like I hadn’t met Steve before. Or even ticked him off, on numerous occasions. The reason hit me like an anvil. Now I wasn’t just Tony Stark’s annoying daughter. I was James’ what - girlfriend? Significant other? Something like that. It was suddenly very important to me that Steve approved of us, and of me. And that was what held me motionless.

 _It’ll be fine,_ I told myself firmly. _You and Steve get on really well these days, Eve. And he wants to see James happy, just like you do. Now get your butt in there._ I took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

James and Steve were sitting on the couch, and they both stood when I finally stepped into view. _God bless 40s manners_ , I thought with another smile. Much to my surprise, Steve quickly came over and gave me a big hug.

“I guess James told you?” I said with a smile, hugging him back. Relief flooded through me. I wasn’t about to get a shovel talk from Steve Rogers after all. 

“Yup,” he said, letting me go. “Congratulations.” The patented Steve Rogers smile was on his face, and his blue eyes sparkled. My attention, was on the other pair of blue eyes in the room. James had been watching our interaction a bit warily, so I gave him a smile as I went over and sat right next to him on the couch. “So,” Steve went on. “How long?”

I looked over at James, calculating. “About a day?” I asked. 

“Something like that,” he agreed, putting an arm around my shoulders. “Feels like longer.” I snuggled into him. 

“So who won the betting pool?” I asked Steve. He looked shocked.

“How did you know?” he asked.

“I didn’t.” I grinned. “You just told me.” I grinned even wider at the surprise on the good Captain’s face. “I guessed there would be one, what with Sam, Clint, and Nat around. So. Who won?”

“The pool already went bust once,” Steve said. “Odds were best you two would finally spill within a week of Eve getting back.” It was his turn to grin evilly. “But you’re looking at the winner,” he said smugly. “I figured you two couldn’t last much longer. Not after you showed up in Buck’s shirt, Eve.”

My jaw dropped. “Way to go, Rogers!” I said, raising my hand for a high five. He slapped my hand gently. 

“Yeah,” James said, amusement clear in his voice. “Way to exploit your best friend’s love life for monetary gain.”

“I know!” I said, turning to James. “I never thought the punk had it in him!” James took one look at my still-astonished face and kissed me gently.

“So am I the first person who knows?” Steve asked once we separated. It hadn’t been that long, to be fair. We’d both been aware of who was in the room with us and kept the kiss short. Too short, in my person opinion. _I’ll have to fix that later,_ I thought absentmindedly. 

“No,” James said shortly.

“Spencer came around this morning,” I said with just as little humour. “There really wasn’t any hiding it. Not that I cared to.”

Steve digested that for a minute. “Well, if you need any help hiding the body, let me know.”

“Will do,” I said, smiling at Steve. 

 

 


	41. Chapter 41

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve Skypes Jo.

“So Spencer is moving to the States?” Jo asked the next morning. Her image on the screen looked pixellated, as per usual - she’d had her laptop for years, and insisted on keeping it until it gave up the ghost at long last. Miles had confided recently that he hoped for sooner, rather than later, and wasn’t precisely averse to giving Fate a shove himself if it meant Jo had a better laptop. He hated her old, heavy, clunky IBM with a fiery passion.

“Yup,” I said, popping the ‘p’ with a certain relish. She looked just as surprised as I’d felt. “He didn’t say why, and I didn’t ask.”

“I can imagine,” she said with feeling. A pair of legs strode by behind her, and she turned. “Hey, Miles, come say hello to Eve.”

The jeans returned, the legs bent, and Miles peered into the camera. “Hello to Eve!” he said, grinning. Jo smacked him gently on the shoulder.

“Hello to Miles,” I said, smiling back. “All well in Blighty?” I asked.

“All as usual,” he said breezily. “You caught me on my way to pick up coffee before rehearsal. Talk later?” I waved him away.

“Go and caffeinate thyself,” I said. “Lord knows I didn’t get my love of all things coffee from my parents.” _Maybe it’s genetic,_ I thought, considering the question. _Tony sure loves coffee. And so did I, once I was introduced to it. Mum and Dad never drank it._ I made a face. _The damn three parents thing doesn’t seem to  be getting much easier,_ I thought. _I wonder if it ever will._

“You look like you just sucked a lemon,” James said, and my head jerked up. I was sat at the kitchen counter, Skyping with Jo and Miles, as usual on a Tuesday morning. James was usually out running while I was talking to them. Or he scooted in quietly. Apparently today was an exception. I grinned at him, noticing the sweaty exercise gear. 

“Nope, no lemon-sucking here,” I snarked, giving him a grin instead. “How was the run?”

“Fine,” he said, moving around the island, bottle of water in hand. He pressed a kiss to my temple. 

“Hello, James,” Jo said, in her best “I want to be totally inappropriate, but I’m trying not to be” voice. I glanced down at her. I’d completely forgotten she was there.

“Oh, hi Jo,” James said distractedly. He looked at me, a bit worried. “Guess our secret’s out?” he asked, a worry line forming between his eyebrows.

I smiled at him. “I don’t mind,” I said as reassuringly as I could. “Unless you do?” James shook his head, once uncertainly, then more firmly. 

“Nope.” He turned back to Jo, squaring his shoulders. “I’ll do my best to deserve her, Jo. And I’ll always have her back.”

Jo covered her mouth with a hand, then giggled. “Of course you will, Barnes.” She waggled her eyebrows at me. “Lucky girl,” she mouthed. I just smiled contentedly and put my head on James’ shoulder, which was currently the correct height for me to lean on. “I did wonder why you were so calm about the whole Spencer thing.”

“I’m not,” I said. “But what can I do? He’s got to live his life, and I’m going to live mine. They may or may not coincide.”

“Well, on that note,” Jo said, looking between James and me again. “Have a lovely day.”

“Thanks, dear,” I said. “You too.”

“Take care of each other,” she said, grinning mischieviously.

“Oh, we will,” James said, and I knew the same grin would be on his face as well. “Goodbye, Jo.” Her image froze, then went black. 

I put my arms around James’ middle, heedless of his sweat on my clean clothes. “Well that was interesting,” I commented, pecking him on the cheek.

“Mmhmm,” James said, swivelling slightly to put his arms around me. “Oh, and Sam suspects.”

“He does?”

“Sam said, and I quote, ‘If you were any other guy, I’d ask if you got laid last night. But you aren’t. So what’s up?’” I chuckled.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“I told him I was just in a good mood,” he said. He stepped away just far enough that he could see my face. “And I am,” he said, eyes on mine. “I am in the best mood I can remember.” 

I smiled. “I am too,” I breathed. In one of his lightning-fast movements, James had moved to me once again and had practically pulled me out of my chair. His hands were in my hair, moving my head so he could kiss my lips, then down the column of my neck. I was gasping for air, my arms around him before I quite knew what was going on.

“Mm, James,” I said, not knowing whether I was encouraging him or protesting.

“Love how you say my name,” he murmured between kisses, returning briefly to kiss my mouth. I kissed back, my hands trying to find purchase in the slippery athletic fabric of his shirt. 

“James,” I gasped as he suddenly sucked on the spot between my neck and my shoulder - that was bound to leave a mark. And I really didn’t mind. I was going to tell Tony today anyway. Then all thoughts of Tony left my head as James pulled my blouse open further and started kissing just above my bra.

I moaned, he practically growled, and my hands were focused on getting the blouse off, off, off! I fumbled with the buttons, but managed to get them undone so I could shrug the shirt off. James, noticing the movement, pulled back for a minute and just stared. I’d never felt quite so desired as I did in that moment, sitting there on the bar stool in just a bra and pencil skirt. James eyes were dark, pupils dilated wide, and he just stood there, inches from me, looking me up and down as if he wasn’t quite sure where to start. 

The next time his eyes met mine, I reached up the few inches and kissed him again. He pulled me close and lifted me off the bar stool and onto my feet. He set me down gingerly, then began reaching up and pulling off his shirt. Midway through, he stopped dead. I had my hand on his chest, trying to help him with the damn thing, and I noticed when his breathing suddenly became more regular.

“James?” I asked, reaching to pull the shirt back on - it was closer to being on than off anyway. I wondered whether we’d moved too fast, if he’d Wintered out on me. When I could see his face again, he looked grim. “James?” I repeated, putting a hand on his cheek. He leaned into the caress almost automatically. 

“Sorry, Eve.” His eyes drifted closed, and he breathed evenly through his nose. 

“Nothing to be sorry for,” I said as lightly as I could manage, trying to control my own raging libido. It wasn’t exactly important right now, I told myself firmly. James opened his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” he repeated.

“What for?” 

“For - did I - am I rushing you?” he asked, and I couldn’t suppress a gentle laugh. 

“James Barnes,” I said, letting my hand drop to rest on his shoulder. “Believe me, I am not rushed. I am very much in favour of you jumping my bones, or my jumping your bones, whichever we prefer.” I paused. “But maybe it would be safer to talk about it first?” I had a sudden terrible thought. “I’m not rushing you, am I?”

James grinned. “No way you could do that, doll.” I flushed at the nickname. It was the first time I’d heard it from him. He sidled closer so we were pressed against each other again. “Talk about it tonight?” he asked, and I could feel his pulse getting faster. I nodded. “I do want you, Eve,” he said, almost gently. My brain went into immediate denial - he must be lying, he must just be trying to save my feelings -

My thoughts stopped. James had started tracing along my jawline with a finger, moving it up and to one temple, then down again. I glanced at his eyes and was caught again in his stare. He was there, steady. I closed my eyes. “Sorry,” I murmured. 

“Nothing to be sorry about, doll,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “I’m going to take that shower now. Are you still coming to the Tower with me today?”

I nodded. “Yeah. We can tell everyone then. And James?” He turned, halfway to his room already. “Thanks.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the daily updates are continuing, all because of you lovely people! I've received so many comments saying that you love the daily updates, so as long as I can, I will continue.
> 
> You all are the best, really. I love you as much as I love coffee. Which is a lot.


	42. Chapter 42

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James tell Tony

Of course JARVIS noticed. 

“Should I be offering congratulations, Sargent? Eve?” he asked as we entered the lift.

“Offer away, J,” I said, linking James’ hand with mine. 

“Congratulations,” the AI said. “It may only be the opinion of an artificial intelligence, but I hope you will be very happy together.”

“Thanks, JARVIS,” James said. “We appreciate that.” 

 _We,_ I mused. _I think I very much like being a ‘we’ with James._ James’ flesh-and-blood hand tightened around mine as the elevator rose, and I had to smile.

“Don’t tell me the Winter Soldier is nervous?” I teased, although I felt the same butterflies multiplying in my stomach. James turned his head and mock-glared at me. He poked my nose with his free hand.

“Tell me you’re not nervous about telling Tony, and I won’t be either.”

“I’m not nervous about telling Tony,” I parroted, then sighed. “Sure, sure. Fine. I’m nervous too.”

“No reason to be,” he said, then laughed, realising what he’d just said. “Are you going to be practicing that mental juju on me often?”

I smirked. “I’m a Stark and a known Tony-wrangler. I think you can expect the ‘mental juju’” I used my free hand to make finger quotes, “on a regular basis.”

“I await it with fear and trembling,” James shot back, and the elevator doors opened. We exchanged a look, then strode through together, hands still linked. 

 

“Good morning,” Sam said automatically, then glanced at us. His jaw dropped, then he beamed. “Congrats, you two,” he said, coming over to us. 

“Wha-?” Clint said, mouth full. He looked over at us. 

“About damn time,” Natasha said, walking over from the other side of the room. I got a hug from Sam, then one from Natasha, who’d arrived jus before Clint. Steve just hung out by the kitchen island, grinning from ear to ear. I looked over at James to find Sam speaking in his ear, looking over at me. I quirked an eyebrow, and James quirked one right back.

“Shovel talk?” I asked. Sam grinned.

“Do I really need to give him one?” he asked me.

“I think it’s implied,” I replied drily. “What with you lot being so proficient at deadly weapons and all.” Sam chuckled, and James even cracked a smile.

“So,” Natasha drawled. “How long has this been going on?” She took an appraising look at the pair of us, then held up a hand. “No, wait, don’t tell me. I want to guess.” She glanced at Steve, who was still grinning. “Two days. Three max. And Rogers found out first.”

“Close, ‘Talia,” James said. I still had yet to get to the bottom of his relationship with the Russian spy, but I knew it had something to do with the Red Room and his time in Russia. I figured it was best not to pry - they’d tell me, when they wanted to. “Two days,” he continued, returning to my side to slip an arm around my waist, “But Steve wasn’t the first to know.”

“So who was?” Clint asked, picking up where Natasha left off.

“Spencer.” I said it flatly. “He showed up out of the blue on Saturday.” 

“What’s this about Spencer?” Pepper flowed out of the elevator into the common room. She took one look at James’ arm around me and stopped. I froze in place, waiting for her reaction. 

Finally, she smiled and shook her head. “I told Tony it would happen sooner or later,” she said, coming over. She gave me a kiss on the forehead, then examined James, who was standing ramrod straight next to me.

“I’d tell you to take care of her, young man,” Pepper said, a hint of amusement flitting across her face, “But I don’t think I need to. Instead, I’ll say this. Try to make her happy, and let her make you happy, and we’ll be on good terms. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” James said, relaxing slightly. “And she does, ma’am.” He stopped, then started again. “Make me happy, I mean.” 

I made a small “aw” sound and leaned into his shoulder. 

“Well aren’t you too adorable for words,” Pepper said, grinning outright. “And Eve, Tony’s in his workshop.” I swallowed. 

“Time to beard the lion in his den,” I said, then smiled. “Or should it be tiger?”

“It’ll be grrrrrrrreat!” Clint said with a shit-eating grin, imitating the cartoon tiger. I stuck my tongue out at him, then glanced up at James.

“Shall we?” I asked softly. He nodded. This was going to be fun.

 

 

“Eve!” Tony greeted as I walked into the lab, James trailing at my heels. We’d discussed this on the way over to the Tower. No PDA in front of the father. Not at first, anyway. Not that Tony was looking up at me anyway. His nose was buried in a StarkPad, fingers flitting this way and that, manipulating something or other on the tablet.

“Hey Tony,” I said. He must have heard something in the tone of my voice, because his head jerked up. He looked at me, then his eyes darted to James.

“And what is Sargent Cyberman doing here?” he asked.

“Sargent Cyberman?” I asked tiredly. “Really. That’s what you’re going with?”

“I’m only on Coffee Number Two,” Tony said, gesturing at the mug on his workbench. “So sue me. Now I repeat. What is Sargent Cyberman doing here?”

“James,” I said, putting emphasis on his name, “Is here because he wanted to be. We have something to tell you.”

Tony stared at us. “You’re together.”

I nodded. “We’re together,” I confirmed, then grinned and shook my head. “God, what I want to say… It sounds so corny… We’re in love, Nunc.” James stepped close to me, putting a hand on my shoulder. Our eyes met, and I felt myself falling into his blue eyes once again.

“Hold on a minute. Wait wait wait.” My head turned so I looked at Tony. 

“This can’t possibly be a surprise to you,” I told him. “I told you I liked James.”

“You said it was a crush!” Tony started pacing around the workshop. “You said it would never happen - that he didn’t feel the same way!” He ran a hand through his hair, and it stuck up at odd angles.

I glanced over at James, who was very tense. It seemed the Soldier wasn’t reacting well. “I thought he didn’t,” I said softly, covering the hand that still rested on my shoulder with one of mine.

“And you don’t care about that?” Tony gestured to our hands. I looked down and noticed that it had been James’ metal hand I had covered. I didn’t really notice any more. My face flushed, and I started to get annoyed.

“Tony.” He paused in his pacing. “Of all the reasons I thought you might be annoyed, that was not on the list.”

“Oh?” The inventor raised a sardonic eyebrow. 

“Oh.” _You are many things,_ I thought, but did not say. Saying this would not be wise. _But a bigot is not one of them._

“Mr. Stark.” James spoke for the first time. “I love your daughter.”

“Not legally my daughter.” Tony said it a bit bitterly. I’d have to talk to him about that.

“But she is,” James said, calmly. “She loves you like a father. Ergo, you are. And it would mean a lot to Eve if you would give us your blessing.”

“My blessing?” Tony’s eyebrows rose to newfound heights. “You aren’t getting married, are you?”

“What, no!” I said, the words almost compelled from my lips. “But maybe someday,” I murmured. I felt James chuckle once next to me, and I realised I hadn’t spoken quietly enough for him not to hear me.

“No, we aren’t,” he agreed, speaking to Tony once more. I was so proud of him - he showed absolutely no sign of Wintering out. He simply stood his ground, was polite, but didn’t waver. I loved him so very much. “That doesn’t change the fact that I would consider myself the luckiest man alive if she would consent to marry me, someday.” He glanced at me, and I had to smile. He was lucky? Ludicrous. I was the lucky one. 

“Ugh, you two are ridiculous,” Tony said, and I realised James and I had locked eyes again. “Get out of here, the pair of you,” he said with a sigh, flapping one hand in the direction of the elevator. 

“Nunc?” I asked uncertainly.

“You two are being _way_ too adult about this,” he sighed. “I just need to catch up. So go on. Go make goo goo eyes at each other somewhere else.” I giggled. Tony would come around. 

I half-ran around the workbenches to where Tony was now sitting. “Thanks, Nunc,” I said, giving him a hug. “I love you, you know?”

“I know,” he said, returning the hug briefly. “Come back later?”

“Stark family meeting,” I said, nodding. “Wouldn’t miss it for worlds.”

James followed me into the lift. “So that went… well?” he asked once the doors closed. I hugged him.

“Very well indeed.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, Tony trying to be an adult. It's adorable. We'll see how long that lasts...
> 
> Also, it's been fluffy for far too many chapters. Watch for impending drama...


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve goes to visit Pepper

“So how’d it go?” Pepper asked. After meeting with Tony, James had to go off and do Avenger-y things, and I went off to find Pepper before I left for work. I’d found her in her office, sorting through boxes. 

“It went pretty well, I think,” I said, opening one of the boxes myself. “Better than I expected, actually.”

“Did he start yelling?” Pepper asked with a grin, pulling out a load of files.

“Pacing, actually.” Pepper pursed her lips. “I’ll have to go have a talk with him, I think. JARVIS, remind me, please.” 

“Yes, Miss Potts.” The AI sounded almost amused. I grinned myself, picking up a file and glancing at it.

“What’s all this?” I asked. The manila folder was ancient, and almost crackled as I opened it. 

“Oh, just old files of Howard’s. Some old stuff from SHIELD,” I made a noise of understanding, leafing through the file. Two pages in, I dropped the folder, and sheets of paper went everywhere. I was left holding an old black-and-white Polaroid. 

“Oh, Eve!” Pepper said, scrambling for the papers.

“I’ll get it in a minute, Aunt Pepper,” I said distractedly, still staring at the photo. It just - didn’t compute. It couldn’t be true. The photo was of James, unmistakably James, among the citizens of some cold-weather country, given that they were all rushing around in long coats, most of them fur. I held the photo closer, trying to see a landmark - didn’t I recognise that spire from somewhere?

“Holy shit,” I breathed, recognising the Kremlin.

“Eve?” Pepper sounded concerned now.

“Why did Howard Stark have a picture of James in Russia?” I asked, shoving the picture at my aunt and diving for the papers. I gathered them into a pile, then sat on the floor of the office and started looking at the papers.

“Oh my,” Pepper said behind me.

“My reaction exactly,” I said back. Apparently the Stark snark never fully shut off. The second page was upside down, and I righted it with a growl. It was the second page of a report with the old-style SHIELD logo on it - I’d seen enough of them by now to recognise the small differences. The lettering was slightly different, and the eagle had changed shape slightly.

 _“trailed Subject successfully to USSR.”_ It read. _“The Subject vanished into Kremlin, but I am attaching a picture as proof of life. Believe me, Stark, it was hard to get without your boy getting a look at me. My cover’s intact though, so don’t get that moustache of yours in a knot. I have no idea what they’re doing to him in there, but he goes in all gung ho and comes out looking like he’s been on a bad trip. Want me to extract the good Sargent? Let me know. It’ll cost you extra though._

_-The only man crazy enough to take this on, the legendary Merc With a Mouth, the man who, unless paid, would not waste his time writing boring reports, the one, the only,_

_Deadpool”_

 

“Who the eff is Deadpool?” I muttered and sat back, banging my head on the underside of Pepper’s desk. I rubbed the spot with one hand absently, still reeling. Howard Stark, the asshole, had known. My grandfather, the asshole, I corrected. I was even less used to being related to Howard than I was to being related to Tony. At least Tony had the virtue of being a good person most of the time. As far as I could tell, Howard really hadn’t had many great points, and this really wasn’t helping his case.

I shoved my currently unimportant family issues to the side and continued to read. Pepper had decided to let me read, because she didn’t bother me, but started to type something or other. That was Aunt Pep, I mused, always doing something important. Usually saving the world. 

I wish I could have said the same for Howard Stark. I read through three more reports by this Deadpool character with a growing sense of dread. It seemed Howard had known where James was, and, more importantly, _who_ he was, and had done nothing to try and get him out. 

“Bastard!” I hissed after I read Deadpool’s - and wasn’t that a silly name for someone? - second offer to pull Barnes out. 

“What was that now?” Pepper asked.

“I - He - Howard!” I spluttered, so angry I couldn’t even form sentences. I took a deep breath. “Howard Stark knew where James was - way back in the 60s. He knew where James was, and even had someone who could have rescued him. And he did nothing!” I tried to stand, forgot I was sitting literally under Pepper’s desk and hit my head again, hard.

“Owowow!” I groaned, sitting back down.

“Eve? You ok?” Pepper said, getting up.

“I’m fine,” I said, rubbing my head and moving forward before trying to get up again. I saw my phone on the floor and paused. “Pepper, what time is it?” I’d lost track of time this morning, and I was supposed to have a meeting with Yves about something.

“It’s almost 10,” she said, glancing at her computer.

“Oh no,” I breathed. The meeting was supposed to be at 10. No way I made it over to Yves’ office in a few minutes. Not in New York traffic. “Pepper, I need to go.” I glanced at the papers. “I have no idea what to do with those.”

“Are you going to be late for something?” Pepper asked.

“Yeah,” I said, reaching for the phone. “I’ve got a meeting at the office at 10.”

“Wait just a minute,” she said, then spoke again. “JARVIS, I need to speak to Tony.”

“One moment, Miss Potts,” the AI said, and I realised what Pepper was going to ask Tony.

“You’re going to ask Tony to fly me there?” I asked a little incredulously. “That’s not exactly keeping a low profile, is it?”

“Tony’s known for being eccentric,” Pepper said, shrugging it off. “And we’ve been discussing a ‘coming out’ as it were, for-“

“Pep?” Tony’s voice came over the speakers, cutting her off. I made a mental note to ask her about it. Later.

“Hi Tony,” she said. “Eve’s late for a meeting. Can you give her a lift?”

“Now, now, Pepper,” Tony said, and I could visualise the grin on his face. “Weren’t you telling me the other day I needed to be more responsible about when I used the suit?”

“As I recall,” Pepper said, the matching smile forming on her own face, “I was talking about you not using your suit to get shawarma. You can take a car. Like everyone else.” She smiled broader. “And getting your daughter to a meeting on time? Very responsible, Mr. Stark.”

“It’s a real burden,” Tony said, drily, although his voice was a bit muffled. I assumed he was getting into the suit. Everyone who knew Tony knew he loved his suits like an extra limb. “Short Stack, you there?” he asked.

“Here, Pops,” I said, then stopped in shock. Holy crap, I’d just called Tony ‘Pops’. Not that I’d ever called Dad that. He was always Dad, or Daddy, if I was feeling really stressed. Holy Hell. I so wasn’t ready for this. Tony paused too, then spoke as if nothing had happened.

“Get yourself up to the roof - I’ll meet you there.”

“Got it,” I said a bit softly. Tony clicked off, and I was left with Pepper. “Still no idea what to do with the files.” I winced. “Can we at least hold off on telling Tony and James until tonight - I’d like to be there.”

“Of course,” Pepper said, coming to give me a hug. “And I’ll tell James where you’ve gone.” I got a whiff of Pepper’s familiar perfume as her hair tickled my nose. “Now get to the roof, dear. Otherwise you’ll really be late for that meeting.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many things to comment on!!!!
> 
> One, I don't think Deadpool will show up in this story. Unfortunately. (But I totally want to write him at some point. Love me some Wade.)
> 
> Two, as usual with me, the drama is going to hit all at once. We have the Stark portions, parts one and two. Now for the work portion...


	44. Chapter 44

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve meets with Yves.

It turned out that the Tower elevator didn’t actually go all the way up to the roof, so I walked the one and a half flights of stairs that were left. Not that I was complaining, not really. I made it onto the gravel of the roof only slightly out of breath. Tony was already there, clad in the suit.

"Hold on tight, kiddo," he said, his voice a little tinny through the speakers. I wrapped my arms around the suit's neck and hung on, making sure my phone was tucked somewhere it wouldn't get dropped. Somehow I doubted "Iron Man-related accident" was covered in my warranty.

"Done," I said when I was firmly secured, and I felt one of the suit arms grab me around my waist. Tony vectored the thrusters so that we lifted off gently - he was being careful with me,  I realised, and was absurdly touched. I hung on anyway as we soared over Manhattan. It was so much quicker than a cab, I mused. And the view was absolutely spectacular. I supposed a helicopter ride would give me the same view, but this was better, seeing the New York skyline from a literal bird’s eye view. 

Tony set me down on the roof of Carnegie Hall, where someone was already waiting to let me in - Pepper must have called ahead.

"Thank you," I said, kissing Tony's mask where his cheek would be.

"Glad to help, kid," Tony replied. "See you later." And with that, he lifted off much more quickly than he had with me. I followed the security guard into the building, thanked him for the no doubt unusual request, and rushed through the maze of corridors and stairs to get to Yves' office.

 

"I'm so sorry I'm late," I said as I opened Yves' office door from where it was propped.

Yves glanced up at me, glasses almost falling off his nose. "I generally wait more than ten minutes before ending out the search parties, Eve,"

he said drily. I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only 10:10. Behold the power of Iron Man.

I sat, still harried from the thought of being late, and pulled out my phone, ready to take notes. My heart was hammering, both from the flight and the dash through the corridors. There was some kind of rule in concert halls - it was never easy or straightforward to get anywhere backstage. Usually because the hall got in the way of logical paths. Silly, that.

"We've had a performance offer for you," Yves said slowly, nixing the formalities in favour of getting straight to the point.

"Oh?" I asked curiously. Normally any performances I got offered would just get sent to me by email. Or through my agent. Something must be special about this one, if Yves was speaking to me about it in person.

"Indeed," Yves said, steepling his fingers together and leaning his head on his interlocked hands. "Tell me, Eve, did Spencer Coogan contact you this weekend?"

"If by contact, you mean show up unannounced on my doorstep this weekend before I'd even had a chance to have a cup of coffee, then yes," I replied, not knowing where this was going and reacting a bit warily. I gripped my phone a bit tighter. 

“This is a bit… awkward,” Yves said, and for the first time, I saw the man actually at a loss for words. 

“Yes?” _Come on, Yves, end my suspense already!_

“Mr. Coogan said not only did you rebuff his performance offer, but you insulted and threatened him.”

“Oh, of all the…!” I started, throwing my hands in the air. I’d had it with Spencer. I was done being polite, trying to be the better person. This was beyond low, bringing personal matters into business. I thought very carefully about what to say next. “You are aware, Yves, that Mr. Coogan and I were in a relationship in London?” Yves nodded.

“And, as I have no doubt you are also aware, there is a rumour floating around that the only reason I took this job is because the same Mr. Coogan cheated on me and I decided to flee the country?” Yves nodded again.

I smiled, a bit viciously. “Well, the cheating part is true enough. I hope my enthusiasm for the job proves that my personal life had no bearing on my desire to do this, and do it well.” 

Yves smiled. “No need to worry about that, Eve.”

“Oh, good.” I continued. “Bearing all of that in mind, I was admittedly a bit shocked when Mr. Coogan decided to come to New York and conduct Carmen. However, whatever personal animosity I had towards him, I was and am prepared to coexist and collaborate with him professionally. I introduced him at the gala a few months ago, if you recall.” Yves inclined his head.

“I’m afraid, though, that as much as I’ve tried to keep personal and professional separate where Mr. Coogan is concerned,” I said, preparing to drop the bombshell with a certain amount of relish, “I don’t believe I can in good conscience do so. You see, when Mr. Coogan knocked on my door on Saturday morning, I wasn’t alone.” Yves’ eyebrows rose so rapidly, I almost laughed. But a deadpan delivery was key for this to work, so I kept solemn. Just reciting the facts. “Exactly,” I confirmed. “Mr. Coogan interrupted a rather lovely morning, and was offered coffee for his trouble. I may have been a bit short with him, but not impolite.” I took a breath, double-checking what I wanted to say in my head first. “Then my -“ I stopped, not sure what word to use - I certainly didn’t want to name names.

“Companion?” Yves asked.

I smiled. “Thank you, yes. Companion. He left so that Mr. Coogan and I could talk - Spencer had implied that we were going to be discussing business, which is why I let him in in the first place. But instead of telling me what he was there for, he started to comment on my relationship.” Bomb dropped, I waited a heartbeat for the results. Yves’ face had gone blank.

“Needless to say, I didn’t feel I had to listen to that, so I told him to leave and conduct business through the proper channels. I may have also told Mr. Coogan that if he bothered myself or my ‘companion’ again, he would regret it.” I made a face. “Granted, that last may have been a bit too much, but I don’t disagree with it. I didn’t hear anything about a performance opportunity.”

Silence. Neither of us moved, Yves digesting the information, me waiting for him to say something.

“Well,” Yves said slowly, sitting up at his desk. “That puts a completely different face on things, doesn’t it?”

“I certainly hope so,” I said. “Spencer never got around to telling me what the business was he wanted to discuss.”

“He’s told you he’s the new conductor of the City Opera?” Yves asked, and it was my turn to nod. _Mission accomplished,_ I thought, grinning inwardly. _Now Yves hopefully thinks of Spencer as a spoiled little boy who tells tales when his ex finds someone new. Which is only the truth, after all._ “Well, they’re doing Fledermaus in the fall, and they want you to be one of the acts at the party - you know, in the Second Act.” I was all set to reply, but Yves went on before I could say anything. “You don’t have to do it, you know.”

“I know,” I said. “But I can be an adult, even if he can’t, and it’s good exposure for me and the program - it’ll be running by then.” I was trying to start a program giving teens more access to concerts behind the scenes, which had been my favourite part of concerts anyway. We were going to start piloting it in the fall. 

“If you’re sure,” Yves sounded dubious.

“Send me the details, and I’ll let you know one way or the other by the end of the week. Same as usual,” I said with a smile. “No need to treat this like anything other than business.” There was something I wanted to ask Yves, but I didn’t think I could. Thankfully, Yves practically answered my question without answering it.

“I knew there had to be something more to the story,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I know you, and I know Coogan a bit, and I know which one of you I believe when push comes to shove.”

“Thanks, Yves,” I said, smiling at the bespectacled man. “That means a lot.”

“Just keep up the good work,” Yves said. “Now, don’t you have a group of youngsters to keep entertained?” I looked at the clock. True enough, it was almost time for me to get ready for the education concerts for the day.

“Right you are, boss man,” I said with a grin, standing. “And thanks again.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are awesome, just by the way...


	45. Chapter 45

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve gets done with rehearsal and is met by someone...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this is short and a bit later than usual. (But, as it was either this or nothing, I'm hoping you all forgive me!) But here's some fluff for you. Plot to follow tomorrow...

“If I never have to play that section at D again, it’ll be too soon,” I joked to Gen as we exited Carnegie Hall that evening.

“I think next time we should keep track of how many times we play it. Just for fun.”

“Fun?” I joked, opening the door and swinging back to hold it for Gen. “You and I have very different meanings of the word.” 

“And who are _you_?” she asked. It was obvious she wasn’t talking to me - her gaze was fixed on someone outside. Probably an attractive someone. 

“Who?” She went first through the doors, gesturing with her head to a figure leaning against a car out front.

It wasn’t just any car, though. I noticed that first. It was an old-model Challenger, all in black, pristine. Tony had one, and it was one of my favourites in his car collection. In fact… My thoughts shuddered to a halt as I recognised the man leaning against the car like a James Dean wannabe in jeans and a black leather jacket. 

James’ blue eyes lit as he saw me walk through the doors. He pushed away from the car and walked to greet me. I felt a smile grow on my face as he grinned at me. 

“Hey, doll,” he said, reaching casually around my waist and pulling me in for a kiss. I melted into him - I couldn’t help it. His touch was so tender that it felt like he was trying to convey his feelings for me in the simple kiss. And it worked. I felt very loved.

“Hey,” I smiled up at him, still shorter than him in my heels. I really enjoyed that. 

“And this must be Gen,” he said, extending the hand that wasn’t around my waist to the brunette, who was, to my undying amusement, standing there with her jaw dropped almost to the floor.

“Um… hi,” she said, taking his hand. “I can’t say I know who you are, though.”

“Sorry, Gen,” I apologised, half-laughing. “This is James.”

“Your roommate?” Her eyebrows rose.

“And other things,” I said, grinning. 

Gen just shook her head at me. “Well, I need to get home, I think Pam was trying to surprise me with date night tonight, so I need to go and prepare.”

“You need to prepare to get surprised?” I asked.

“You do when your significant other lacks any ability to lie,” Gen said drily.

“It’s a good thing, though, surely,” I said.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “See you soon?”

“You know it,” I agreed, and Gen walked off in the direction of the nearest subway stop. 

I turned back to James, linking both hands around his neck. “So what did I do to deserve such a lovely surprise?” I asked. “I didn’t know you’d be here to pick me up!”

“Can’t I pick up my girlfriend when I want to?” James asked, skimming his nose briefly along my cheekbone. Then he stopped, freezing briefly. “I - We haven’t talked about the girlfriend thing-“

“I am if you want me to be,” I replied easily, cutting him off. “I’d be honoured, Sargent Barnes.”

A passerby whistled at us, and I absently shot him the bird.

“I think we’d start getting back to the Tower,” James said, releasing me a bit reluctantly. He slung an arm around my shoulder anyway as we walked the few steps to the Challenger. “And I would love for you to be my girlfriend.” He whispered it, low and dark, in my ear before opening my car door for me. I slid in automatically, putting my violin case at my feet. My heart was pounding in my ears, and I was very aware we were still in a public place and I wasn’t allowed to jump him. He just smiled at me as if he knew exactly what he was doing to me, and shut the door gently, tapping it once before rounding the car himself. 

I watched him round the hood, admiring the view. How did I get so lucky?

“So?” he asked, settling into the driver’s seat, eyes flitting to the mirrors and dials before turning to me.

“So?” I repeated, not sure what he was asking.

“Where to?” 

“I’d say home,” I said, the word still sounding richer now that James and I were “James and I”. “But you need to return the car. And I need to talk to Pepper again. And probably you and Tony.”

“Sounds serious,” James commented, turning the key in the ignition. The engine started with a familiar roar, and he eased into traffic.

“Mmmm,” I agreed. I noticed the slight tightening of James’ jaw as he drove. “I’m not sure what it is yet.” I said, trying to reassure him. “I found something in some old files that Pepper had laying about this morning, and I didn’t have time to look at it properly.”

“Ok.” James braked, slowing to a halt behind a taxi, and took one hand off the steering wheel to grab my hand. I squeezed gently, and he squeezed back. “You really don’t care about it, do you?” he asked.

“About what?”

“That.” He almost glared at his metal arm, covered in sleeve and glove. “You don’t care about the arm.”

I squeezed his hand a little tighter. “Nope.” I covered our hands in my free one. “It makes zero difference to me. It’s you.” _I find it far more incredible that you like me,_ I thought wrily. _After all, six foot of muscled, kind, brooding supersoldier - you could have anyone you wanted. And you seem to want me. So no, I won’t be complaining about your sad tendency to leave dishes in the sink. And I don’t mind your metal arm. Not at all._ I didn’t say any of that, though. I just brought his hand up to my lips and kissed it. “And I love you, James Barnes. Metal arm and all.”

 


	46. Chapter 46

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James learn what was in Howard's file.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I literally just finished this, so be prepared - typos, etc. are possible.
> 
> But PLOT! I hope you enjoy!

James pulled the car into its spot in Tony’s garage. I still hadn’t let go of his hand. We’d discussed our days on the drive home, my endless parade of little ones trooping into and out of the hall, the sea of faces I’d tried to reach, knowing even as I played that most of them were bored out of their minds and there was little I could do about it. He told be about the day’s work, as much as he could. He’d sparred with Steve again. Thor was coming next week, and Jane Foster would be arriving in New York shortly before, so we’d have company. 

But now we were silent, staring at the empty garage walls, sitting there hand in hand. Finally I stirred.

“Time to get back to real life,” I said unwillingly. I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay in our own private bubble forever. James unbuckled his seat belt and scooted over far enough to give me a kiss before getting out of the car. It was remarkably brief, for one of our kisses, and I was reminded we hadn’t had our talk yet either. _So much to talk about,_ I thought ruefully. _Although I have to say I’d much rather talk about sex with James rather than figure out what was going on with him in Russia in the 70s._ I shook myself out of that train of thought and opened my car door. 

“Ooof.” I’d hit James as he was coming to open the door for me. 

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” I said, pulling on the door so it closed again. But James was laughing as he pulled the door open again, so I guessed I hadn’t done too much damage.

 

 

“Hi Eve,” Steve said, looking up from a StarkPad as we entered. “I guess Buck didn’t crash the Challenger?”

“Punk,” James retorted, following me out of the elevator. “I was always a safer driver than you anyway. Why do you think he got the bike?” he asked me.

“Because it’s easier to deal with a bike in a city than a car,” Steve shot back. I just grinned at the pair. They bickered non-stop. It was endearing, really. 

“J?”

“Yes, Eve?” JARVIS’ voice came from the ceiling, as always.

“Where’s Pepper?”

“In the lab with Sir.” I thought for a minute. The last thing I wanted to do was interrupt Tony and Pepper’s couple time, but this was important. 

“Let them know I’m coming, please,” I told the AI. I glanced over at James, eyebrows raised. “You want to come? It’s kind of about you.”

He raised his eyebrows in return, and when he lowered them, his forehead didn’t relax. He was worried. Well, it was probably good for him to have warning. He nodded.

 

 

“Eve, Barnes,” Tony said as we entered the lab. Tony was sitting next to Pepper, and for once, there was masses of actual paper strewn over the desk instead of the tablets and holos Tony favoured.

“Hey,” I said.

“Stark, Miss Potts,” James said behind me. Pepper looked up and smiled briefly in greeting. It wasn’t a happy smile. So the news wasn’t good, then. I’d hoped I had misconstrued that letter to Howard. But apparently not.

“So, what did you find?” I asked, suddenly feeling very protective of James. We were both about to find out something about his past, and I wasn’t sure how he was going to react.

“More proof I was raised by the nation’s Number One Asshole,” Tony growled. James was standing next to me by now, a few feet away from the table with the documents. Somehow we’d both stopped just far enough that we couldn’t really see the pages. I slid an arm around his waist.

“You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to be,” I whispered in his ear, and I felt him shudder as my breath touched his ear. His head rotated, and he smiled sadly.

“Thanks, Eve,” he said, kissing me on the forehead. He squared his shoulders almost imperceptibly. “But I think I should know what I’ve done.”

“What HYDRA made you do,” I muttered under my breath. “Whatever happens, I love you.” I whispered that in his ear too, and I got a real smile for my efforts.

“Love you too, Eve.”

“If you two are done winning “Cutest Couple of the Year that as a Father I Shouldn’t Have To Think About”?” Tony snarked. I stuck my tongue out at him, but stepped forward a bit. My arm released from James’ waist, but he grabbed my hand as he stepped to the table as well.

“What’s the damage?” I sighed, eyes scanning over the papers, not really focusing on one thing.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to be here for this, Sargent Barnes?” Pepper asked after a pause. “We don’t know what might trigger you.”

My patience snapped, and one of my hands, the one not holding James’, smacked down onto the table, sending pages everywhere. “Not ok, Pepper,” I snapped. “That is so so far from ok. James is an adult, he knows what he’s getting into, and besides,” I glanced back at James, “I just asked him. He wants to be here.” James put a hand on my shoulder.

“Eve, it’s ok,” he murmured. “Thank you for your concern, Miss Potts,” he told Pepper. “But like I told Eve, I think I should know what I’ve done. If I feel like I’m going to do something to hurt someone, I’ll leave.” I breathed out, and all the anger seemed to leave my body in a rush.

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Aunt Pep’,” I said. “I think I overreacted.”

“It’s all right,”she said lightly. “I know you’re protective of him.” She gave me a small grin, and I remembered one of the first conversations we’d had about James, in her car. It was true - my first reaction was always to protect James. _I guess I loved him even then,_ I thought with a small smile of my own. “Now, to business,” Pepper continued, and we all went quiet again.

“As we all know, Howard Stark spent years looking for Steve. The project lasted after his death, in fact,” she smiled, “And was, to all of our relief, ultimately successful.

“The search for Captain Rogers was fairly extensive,” Pepper went on. “At some point, Howard thought Steve might have escaped the plane after all and escaped to Russia, possibly with some amnesia.” She shook her head. “Reading these, it’s a wonder he managed to make any real progress - some of these theories, really! - It’s like he was writing fiction. 

“In any event, Howard hired this agent, Deadpool, to search for Steve in Russia. We don’t have much information on this ‘Deadpool’ person,” Pepper admitted. “All it says in the files is that he was a mercenary, and apparently a good one. But a ‘character.’” I snorted, remembering the bit of the report I’d read. Definitely a character. Pepper ignored my interruption. “I’ll try and get some information from SHIELD tomorrow, but it might be classified. I might need to go to the Director.” She looked at Tony, and I suddenly wondered if there was something Pepper was hiding. I brushed it off. I could ask later.

“In any event, Deadpool found something Stark wasn’t expecting. He found you.” She turned to James. “In the 70s, you were in Russia, Sargent Barnes.” All my attention was suddenly on James, on his reactions. He went still, and his eyes closed. For almost thirty seconds, he was barely breathing. Then his eyes opened.

“Natalia,” he breathed. _Natasha?_ I thought, _What does she have to do with it?_ He looked at me, and I really wanted to know what he had remembered. Pepper, noticing James was back with us, had started speaking again.

“Deadpool reported you were in Moscow, going in and out of the Kremlin at almost daily intervals. And he didn’t like what was going on. He said you went in looking normal, then came out looking like,” she searched for a piece of paper, “like you’d been ‘left without food for weeks, then been mangled by a pack of cats’”, she read. My hand tightened on James’. I wondered what HYDRA had done to him during that time. Based on James’ tension, he remembered it clearly. I wondered if he’d ever tell me about it, then dismissed my selfishness. Not important.

“And here’s the part where Howard once again gets the award for‘Biggest Asshole Ever’,” Tony butted in. “Deadpool offered to pull you out, Barnes. Twice. And Dad said no.” I’d known this was coming, but it still hit me hard. My head snapped to James, who was staring at Tony. 

“No,” he said tightly. “No, he shouldn’t have pulled me out.” _What?!_ I shrieked silently. _What the hell, James? Whatever they were doing to you was clearly bad. And you don’t think you should have been spared that pain?_ I pushed the reaction aside. My reaction wasn’t important now. I’d deal with the guilt and sadness I felt later. Preferably when no one was around to see me.

Tony felt no such compunctions. “That’s insane,” he said flatly. “I’ve seen what they did.” James’ eyebrows rose. “Oh yeah,” Tony said angrily. “That’s in here too.” _I have to get my hands on that file,_ I thought. “And my asshole of a father was too bound up on the fact that you had been working for the Soviets to consider that you might have been forced to.” I could hear the disgust in his voice, and wondered how much of it was directed at Howard and how much was directed at himself. I’d need to deal with that too.

But that was a problem for later.

“I -“ James was trying to say something. His head snapped to mine, and I could tell this wasn’t a searching-for-the-right-words problem. This was a I-can’t-speak-right-now problem.  

“It’s ok,” I said, putting a hand on his cheek. “You don’t have to tell us now.” He closed his eyes and leaned into my hand. 

“It’s not my story to tell, Stark,” he said, not opening his eyes. “I - I think I need to talk to someone first.”

“Natasha,” I said, stomach dropping. James nodded, a bit surprised. _Be a good person, be a good person,_ I chanted in my head, even though every fibre of my being was screaming for me to know why my boyfriend suddenly had a shared past with the gorgeous, deadly, sophisticated assassin. “Ok,” I said. “Talk with Natasha. Then let us know what you two decide to share.” I was absurdly pleased that it came out with only a note of sadness, not jealousy. Although I was jealous - who knew what shared past the two of them had? Not me. 

James’ arms wrapped around me. “I love you,” he whispered in my ear. “I’ll be back.” And he turned on his heel and left the lab.

“Well well well,” Tony said, once the lift doors had shut behind him. “Sargent Cyberman and Black Widow. Who’d have thought?”

 _I did,_ I thought. _I didn’t want to believe it, but I did._

 


	47. Chapter 47

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve finds out what's in the file.

_You have no reason to be jealous._  

It was the sentence that I kept telling myself, the mantra I repeated in my mind as I started to pick up the papers I’d shoved to the floor earlier.

“Eve?” Pepper said, sounding concerned.

“Yeah?” I asked, rising with the papers in my hand. 

“Are you all right?” I wondered what my face must look like, for Pepper to ask me that. I thought I’d been keeping it together. Apparently not as well as I’d like. 

“I’m not sure,” I said distractedly, taking an empty seat at the table. “I’ll let you know.” Tony chuckled, and I started going through the papers, searching for a place to start. 

“Start here,” he said, shoving a thinner stack of papers at me. “It’s all the stuff about what Barnes went through. You can look through the other stuff later.” I took the pile, then stopped and looked up at Tony. 

“Thank you,” I said, giving him a real smile. He smiled back, then I dove into the pages.

The first two pages were medical reports - Russian, with English translations written neatly next to them. There was no name attached to the files, just “The Soldier.” Who had, apparently, gone through hell. The report described one day, a morning of ‘cognitive reprogramming with both physical and mental aspects’ - brainwashing and torture, I translated grimly - then an afternoon of ‘training’, whatever that was, and ‘cryonic memory deletion’. That must have been when they stuck James into a device and tried to wipe his memory. I read the note at the end of the text.

‘Subject seems to be responding, albeit slowly, to the treatment. Recommend two more weeks and reevaluation.’ 

The next page was blank, with another Polaroid pinned to it. It was a crappy shot, but through a doorway I could just make out James, shirtless, strapped to a chair. His head was thrown back, and I could see the pain he was feeling, even through the crappy resolution. My eyes started to burn, and I closed them briefly. I had to get through this. I had to know everything, and I could process it later. No matter how much my heart ached that James had been through that at all, no matter the questions I still had about why he was so adamant that Howard shouldn’t have pulled him out.

The last pages were another report by Deadpool. I skimmed it quickly, almost smiling at the relaxed, snarky tone of the mercenary’s writing.  

“Seriously, Starkie? You aren’t going to let me take the guy out? Fine. It’s your business, and I only do what you pay me to, after all. But you should know - your boy’s not the only one going in and out of that building. If I were a weaker man, I’d tell you it looks like the entire Bolshoi ballet company is traipsing in and out of the place. But no. I am not that shallow. Ok, you caught me. I totally am that shallow.

“But if those girls are ballerinas, I’ll eat a katana. No ballerina has arms like that.”

I looked up at Tony. “You don’t think?”

“We know she got started in Russia,” Tony replied calmly. I reminded myself he’d had more time than I had to process this. “And she’s tiny enough to be a ballerina.”

I shook my head. “I just…” I kept shaking my head. “This is a lot to take in.” Pepper put an arm around my shoulders. 

“It’s ok, Eve. It’ll be all right.” I decided I should probably get my first visceral reaction to James’ imprisonment over before he got back, so I just buried my face in her shoulder and let the tears flow. At first I just cried. I sobbed, letting myself feel the shock and the horror of what James went through, letting myself actually picture the man I loved going through that torture. It was horrible, even though it had been years ago.

“Poor James,” I sobbed, not caring at that moment that I was probably ruining a very expensive dress with my makeup and tears. “He was in pain, Pepper. In pain, for weeks!” _And there was nothing I could do_ , my brain said, knowing it was stupid to think that way. Hell, I hadn’t even been born yet. And I still felt absurdly guilty. Howard had been my grandfather, after all. 

Another pair of arms pulled me away from Pepper, and I was suddenly in Tony’s embrace.

“I gotcha, kiddo,” the inventor told me. “I gotcha.” I clung to him. 

“Love you, Tony,” I said, calming down a bit.

“Love you too, Eve,” he replied. “And so does Barnes.” I pulled back to look at Tony, who just tilted his head at me. “You just found out Barnes has a history with Agent Romanov. Of course you’re gonna feel a little unsure.”

“Why Doctor Phil,” I said, snarking at Tony gently. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

Tony smoothed a hand over my hair. “The doctor is in,” he joked. “But seriously, kiddo, I’ve seen him around both of you. And he doesn’t look at Natasha anything like the way he looks at you.” 

“Which is?”

“Every time you enter the room, he gets happier. When you sit next to him, he relaxes. When you aren’t looking at him, he looks at you like you’re the most fascinating person on Earth.”

“Oh, come on, Nunc,” I said. _Surely he’s exaggerating._

“He’s right,” Pepper said, coming over to join in on the hug. “It’s adorable, really. And James has been looking at you like that since day one. You’re the one who gave him normality, dear.”

“Don’t make it sound like I’m some Joan of Arc,” I said. _I’m not._ “And whatever I’ve given him, he’s given me. I have home, I have friends. I have him,” I said.  _Or at least, I hope I do,_ I couldn’t help my thoughts adding. “All of that since I met him.”

“Glad to know I’m appreciated,” James said, and Tony, Pepper, and I turned. I wondered how long James had been standing there. And Natasha. James had brought Natasha into the lab. I supposed it was to be expected.

“You are,” I said, making sure the silence didn’t get too awkward, although I was positive I’d never felt more awkward in my life than I did at that minute. Then the moment passed, and suddenly James was beside me. He’d managed to dislodge Pepper and Tony with some kind of supersoldier juju that I couldn’t quite figure out, but I had to admit I relaxed once he slipped an arm around my waist. I leaned my head against his shoulder.

“You’ve been crying,” he said, and his face grew dark.

“Yup,” I said. “But it’s ok. I’ll be fine.” His arm tightened around me. I could almost hear the mental guilt-trip starting in his head, and I pinched him. He looked down at me.

“None of that, young man,” I told him with a smirk. “No guilting yourself, you understand me?”

“Young man?” he asked, grinning at me. “I’ll have you know I’m quite a bit older than you, Eve.”

“Don’t think about that one too hard, love,” I told him, and he absolutely lit up at the endearment.

“Yes, ma’am.” I blushed, and I knew James was saving my reaction away for later.

“Yasha?” Natasha said, and James’ head snapped back up. Time for business.I looked at the Russian as well, looking stunning as usual, even in the leggings and baggy t-shirt she had on. Natasha was looking at me when I met her gaze. She looked at me levelly, and I wondered if the woman was ever scared of anything. If she did love James, there was absolutely no way I could compete. _Not that I wouldn’t try anyway,_ I thought grimly.

“You should know some things before we start,” she said, speaking to all of us. “And I don’t want this recorded, understand? The fewer people who know about this, the better.”

I nodded. Tony nodded. Pepper spoke. “JARVIS? No recordings.”

“Understood, Miss Potts.” Natasha nodded.

“Thank you.” The redhead turned to me once more. “Don’t look so afraid, Eve. I don’t love him anymore. Not in _that_ way, anyway.”

 


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We hear Natasha's side of the story...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this is so late! Life kind of got in the way today...
> 
> But there will be another chapter tomorrow bright and early - hope you like it!

“I don’t love him anymore. Not in _that_ way, anyway.”

“So helpful, ‘Talia,” James told her, coldly. “So very very helpful.” His arm tightened around me.

“Would you stop whining, Yasha?” Natasha asked, a small smile playing on her face. “Honestly.” She actually smiled at me. “He can be a little overprotective. And he doesn’t quite know who to protect here. So he’s getting antsy.”

I should have been ok with it. The tone she spoke in was fine, her words were inoffensive, but I still found myself wanting to strangle the assassin. Not that I thought I’d be able to. I recognised the jealousy and made a conscious effort to strangle it.

“It’s all right, Natasha,” I heard myself telling her. “I believe you.”

She just looked at me and raised her eyebrows. I looked back. I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t sure I was telling the truth either, though.

“Well, then,” she said at last, once she’d finished examining me. “As is no doubt obvious, I was born in Russia. 

“I don’t think I ever knew my parents. The women at the creche told me I had them, that they left me when I was four, but I have no memory of them.” She made a face. “I’m not sure whether I never knew them, or whether those memories were … taken.

“In any event, I grew up wanting to be a ballerina. I practiced long hours, and I was accepted into the Bolshoi’s training academy. It didn’t last. I was cherry picked out of the program by a man I only knew as Grigori. He told me I was going to a different school - one for the really special ballerinas.”

She looked suddenly forlorn, and I wondered what courage it must take for the assassin to look that vulnerable. She was handing us weapons and practically encouraging us to use them against her. I was floored - I didn’t know if I’d ever have that much courage.

“Of course he lied,” she continued, half-hugging herself. I wanted to go to her and comfort her, but I knew it would be the wrong thing to do. Not for Natasha. “I was sent to the Red Room. I grew up with other girls learning to kill or be killed. That’s where I met him.” She pointed at James. My head jerked around to look at him, and he nodded.

“He was a trainer there,” she said. “Effective, and merciless. Picture a more sadistic Mr. Miyagi.” I couldn’t help the giggle that I squashed in the back of my throat. Natasha flashed me a smile. “He taught unarmed combat. And I was already out on missions.” Her face lost all expression. “But there was a problem. He was merciless, but he wasn’t cruel. He wanted to help us, to build us up, to actually _train_ us, not to crush us into oblivion. And me especially.” She locked eyes with James. “He saw something in me, I have no idea what. Something he wanted to help. I guess it was my humanity, even though I had precious little left of it then.

“We had an affair, Eve,” she said, turning her attention back to me. I had known it was coming, but I still huffed a bit as my breath left my body. _He’s with you now, it’s ok,_ I reminded myself. “We had an affair,” Natasha repeated, “and I convinced myself I was in love with him.” She smirked. “I was, as much as I could be, back then. I cared about him, whether he lived or died. And they weren’t as careful about washing him, back then.”

“Washing him?” I asked, not understanding.

“Brainwashing,” Natasha said, and I felt James tense next to me. Not that he hadn’t been tense for the entire conversation, but this was extra - a reminder of past pain. “At that point, when Yasha and I were together, when he was trying to convince me to leave, they hadn’t wiped him for two years. It was a record. He remembered, at least a little, who he was. Ever the white knight, that man.” 

 _So James could actually build up a relationship with someone, with someone he cared about,_ I thought. _Without being reset like some computer._ I smiled inwardly. _It’s those pesky emotions, isn’t it, ultimately? Those are the things that separate us from computers, that make us, ultimately, uncontrollable._

Natasha was still talking. “He’s a good man, your James. He wanted to get me out. He’d stay behind, he said, cover my six. Let them think I was dead. I said yes.” Her mask finally cracked. “We tried to escape. Or, more precisely, I ran. But I got caught, and we both told them it was all James’ idea.”

“I don’t know why they didn’t kill him,” she said, tears streaking down her face. “I can only guess he was too valuable. It’s why they kept washing him. Every day for two weeks, until he didn’t remember me at all.” She looked away, brushing the tears from her eyes. “They kept him away from the Red Room after that. And I kept being an assassin.”

Silence reigned for all of ten seconds. Then I was out of the circle of James’ arm and going to the assassin. I hugged her a bit carefully, moving just a bit slower than I normally would to let her know I was coming. If James had PTSD, I shuddered to know what hers must have been. 

“Oh, Tash,” I said, using Barton’s nickname for her for the first time. She turned to me and returned the hug. “I’m sorry.” 

She pulled away, wiping the last of the tears away with an absent hand. She still looked gorgeous, of course.

“Not your fault,” she said. “But now you know.”

“I do know,” I replied, turning to look at James, who was watching the pair of us with wary eyes.

I returned to him and gave him a hug. He put his arms around me gingerly, as if I was going to break. Or pull away. I just snuggled into his chest. _My supersoldier,_ I thought, _emphasis on super._

“Love you, punk,” I said, whispering into his ear, as I pulled away. His eyebrows rose at the nickname. “Tell me you aren’t,” I said as lightly as I could manage. “Tell me what you did for Tasha wasn’t a very punk thing to do.”

He just kissed me on the temple. I glanced at Tony and Pepper, who were sitting at the table, arms around each other, then at Natasha, who was still standing alone.

“Thank you, Natasha,” I said. “Thank you for telling us.” _I know that can’t have been easy for you - not with your obsession with your red ledger. Hopefully this counts as some black to put in._

She just shook her head and smiled. “You needed to know. I knew I was going to have to tell some of it as soon as I saw this one again,” she replied, jerking her head at James, voice almost back to normal. “I think I’m going to go and bug Barton now.”

“Have fun with Birdboy,” Tony said. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

“I will, Stark,” the assassin said, and vanished into the lift.

 


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natasha's gone. Now what?

“So that’s why you didn’t want Dad pulling you out,” Tony said finally. I’d stayed with my arms wrapped around James, trying to convince him without words that I wasn’t going anywhere, as Natasha had whisked out of Tony’s lab and lost myself in his embrace.

I looked up at Tony, who was staring at James. “You thought they would hurt Natasha if you left.”

“Yes.” He shook his head, as if to clear it. “Not that I knew anything about any rescue attempt anyway. But if Howard Stark had pulled me out, they would have killed Natasha.” His arms tightened around me, then let me go entirely. He stepped away, and the gap between us suddenly felt more like a crevasse than the three inches it actually was.

“Even an asshole gets to be right once a day,” Tony sighed. Pepper put a hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. He stood. “Well, it appears that I have to go and actually eat something. You two stay here as long as you need.” And with that, they left, Tony putting a hand on my shoulder, Pepper kissing me on the cheek.

And we were alone.

The silence stretched and stretched, and I hadn’t felt this awkward around James since - actually, I’d never felt this awkward around James. The only time that had come close was when I’d first met him, when I wasn’t sure who he was or what on Earth was going on. James was still staring over my head, at something on the wall behind me. Or at nothing in particular.

He finally turned his attention to me, and I was stunned at his expression. He looked tortured. The only thing I could possibly imagine bringing on that expression was some kind of Spanish Inquisition-level physical pain. I made some kind of noise at the back of my throat - that kind of pain couldn’t stand by without some kind of response - but I kept my distance. Something told me that, like with Natasha, I should let James come to me.

“How are you still here?” he asked. The words were cold, and I couldn’t help the hurt that flashed across my face. But I stood my ground. 

“What do you mean?” I asked quietly. 

“How can you still be here?” he repeated. “How can you stand there, looking at me, after all the things that I’ve done, all that I’ve experienced.” He took a step back, running a hand through his hair distractedly. “I’m not… I’m not a real person. I was born before 1930. That’s 85 fucking years ago.” I raised my eyes at the obscenity, but said nothing. I’d never heard James swear before. At least, I’d never heard him swear in front of me before.  “I’ve killed, I’ve been killed. I’ve been pulled apart and put back together so many times, sometimes I don’t know who I am anymore. 

“I don’t even -“ he broke off and restarted. “And you’re just there. Always there, always patient. God, even Steve screws up and messes with my head sometimes, but you’re perfect. You always know what to say, or not to say. And you aren’t scared of me, even though you probably should be. I swear - you even try to protect me! You’re absolutely fucking perfect, Eve, and I have no idea why you even care. Why do you care about me?” He trailed off and looked around. My heart was in my throat. But before I could say anything, he was right in front of me, hands almost cupping my cheeks, our shirts barely touching.

“And you’re so beautiful,” he whispered, fingers ghosting over my face. His eyes locked with mine. I couldn’t have pulled my gaze away from his, even if I’d have wanted to. “So beautiful.” He let his hands trail down my neck slowly, slowly, and I shivered at the butterfly touches. “When I saw you in that red dress for the first time, I swear, my heart stopped.” His hands were on my shoulders, blue eyes still boring into mine. “And did you know I actually woke up before you on the couch the other morning?” I shook my head minutely. “I did. I thought I was dreaming, seeing you lying there next to me. I couldn’t believe my luck. I still can’t. I don’t deserve you.” He actually knelt right at my feet and hugged me.

“Oh, James,” I said, overcome. “James, love.” I stroked my fingers through his hair. “Do you know how amazing you are?” He shook his head against my belly, and I chuckled softly. “You enlisted in the war. You weren’t drafted. That alone is brave as hell. Then you fought with Steve. And you fought for Nat. And you fought against HYDRA. And you’ve been through hell knows what, and you’re still here.” My jaw tightened at the things James had gone through - I knew I didn’t have the complete list, but what I did know was plenty for five people, let alone just one. “And then, after all that?” I said, talking through something I was only just realising myself, “After all that, you went and rescued me too. Silly Sir Galahad. Always playing the white knight.” I kept threading my hands through James’ hair, speaking my thoughts aloud. “I was lost. When I came to New York, I didn’t know what I was doing. I was hurt, I thought I couldn’t trust anyone new, and I was homeless. London was my _home,_ and I’d let Spencer take that from me. And then you came into my life, and I had home again. You broke through all the walls I had built up like they weren’t even there. Within days of meeting you, I had home. Even before we’d moved in to our place. Because the place isn’t the point, is it?” James was looking up at me now, almost disbelieving. 

“Where home is concerned, the place isn’t important. It’s the people.” I smiled down at him. “And you’re home to me, Jimmy-boy. You are always there for me, always supportive, and you care. That’s rare these days, and I would be a fool if I didn’t try to keep you in my life as hard as I possibly could.” I ran a hand across his temple. “And you aren’t exactly ugly yourself,” I said lightly. A shadow of James’ normal grin appeared, and I awarded myself a point. 

“And Natasha?” he asked, still kneeling and showing no sign of getting up. So I knelt down as well. 

“What about Natasha?” I asked. 

James worked his jaw briefly before replying. “It doesn’t bother you - our … relationship?”

“Well, you don’t love her like that any more, do you?” I asked as lightly as I could manage.

“What?! No!” James said vehemently. The answer came out so quickly I couldn’t help but giggle. 

“Well, then.” I rested my forehead against his. “The past is the past. You’ve both moved on. It’d be silly for me to have issues with something that happened so long ago.”

“Like I said,” James murmured, putting his hands on my waist. “Perfect.”

“Whatever, Galahad,” I said, blushing. “I’m not perfect.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I kissed him before he could say anything. _Excellent way of preventing speech,_ I thought, brain slightly scrambled from the kiss.

“I’m not going anywhere, either,” I promised. “Swear on Thor.”

James chuckled, the rumbles echoing in his chest. I loved being close enough to him to hear that. “And I’m yours, sweetheart. Always and forever.”

“Mine,” I repeated. “You know, I rather like the sound of that.”

James just chuckled again and drew me close for another kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, angsty fluff.... My favourite...
> 
> Hope you enjoy!


	50. Chapter 50

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam ropes James and Eve into watching K-drama.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, Chapter 50.  
> I honestly never really believed I'd write a story with fifty chapters in it, and here it is! To celebrate, here is a reference-fest of a chapter
> 
> Thank you everyone who reads this, and who comments, or leaves kudos, you are all filled with awesome!

“You ok?” Sam asked later. It was much later - almost 11, and we were watching one of the K-dramas Yundu had hooked him on. Well, he and James were watching. I’d already seen the series once, so I was only half paying attention, laptop in hand trying to catch up on some emails. 

“Hmm?” I asked. I hadn’t really heard the question.

“Are you ok?” James had just left to grab me another cup of coffee and himself a beer, so I guessed Sam was taking the opportunity to play shrink. But I wasn’t sure how much of the story I should share. Definitely none of the portion concerning Natasha. There was no way I was betraying that trust without her explicit permission to do so.

I ran a hand through my hair, wincing at the tangles. “I’m good, Sam,” I said. He raised his eyebrows, calling my bluff. I decided to sass him. “I didn’t say I was perfect, Samwise Gamgee,” I told the man, who grinned at the reference. “But I had an… interesting day. And I’m as good as can be expected.” A mug of coffee appeared before me. “And I’m even better now,” I continued, taking the miraculous brew and inhaling. James came to sit next to me once more, moving carefully so he didn’t cause a catastrophic coffee-on-laptop incident. _Life doesn’t get any better than this,_ I decided. _Friends around, boyfriend next to me, coffee in hand, laptop in lap, and pop culture. Seriously. Perfection._

“And you, Barnes?” Sam asked. “Are you ok?”

James just shot Sam a look. Apparently this wasn’t in the Bro Code.

But Sam persisted. “You both came out of Tony’s lab looking like you’d been in a war. 

“Master Gamgee,” James said drily. I giggled at the continued reference - I heard the beginnings of a permanent nickname. “I am fine. If that changes, I will let you know.”

“All right,” Sam said dubiously. I took a sip of coffee and sighed. Tony’s coffee was always perfect, even when he didn’t make it personally.

“What are you working on, anyway?” James said, peering at the laptop.

“Blog post,” I said. “The damn thing is going to kill me. The first few posts are fine, but keeping it up? Christ.” I pinched the bridge of my nose between thumb and forefinger. “I’m starting to run out of ideas.”

“So what are you writing about now?” James asked gamely. Sam hit pause. Apparently the boys were going to help me do my work. It was too precious for words, and I felt a lump grow in my throat. I was so lucky to have them. 

“I don’t know.” I gestured at the laptop. “The blog’s kind of like a public diary. But I’m not quite sure what to write about, and I’m supposed to post tomorrow.” I grinned over at James. “A lot’s changed since last week, though.”

He grinned right back. “So write about that.”

“What?” That hadn’t even occurred to me. “Are you sure? I mean, not many people read the blog, but the number isn’t zero - and what about the Avengers?” But even as I said it, my brain was racing. I could write my way around that, if I wanted to. But James had to be ok with it.

“I’m sure.” There was no give in James’ voice.

“All right,” I said. “But you still get to read anything I write about you before I post it.”

“If you think it’s necessary,” he said. 

“Sam, hold the coffee, please,” I said, handing him the mug as I fished in a pocket for my phone.

“What are you doing?” he asked cautiously.

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Gamgee,” I told him, switching on the camera and grabbing James’ flesh and blood hand in mine. I snapped the picture, then showed James. He looked blank. “To put online. Are you ok with that?”

“I trust you, doll,” he said, kissing me on the cheek. I blushed. I _really_ liked that nickname.

Sam passed me the coffee, and I passed him the phone. He took a look and nodded. “Nice idea.”

“Glad you approve, Sam the Wise,” I said. I was probably overdoing the joke by now, but I didn’t care. 

Thoroughly inspired, my fingers flew across the laptop’s keys. I was aware of the TV being switched back on, but it only registered faintly. I wrote and wrote, backspacing only occasionally. Finally, I looked up.

“Read, please,” I said, pushing the laptop onto James’ lap. He scanned the script, smiling occasionally.

“Fine by me,” he said. “Although I’m not sure why you decided to call me Galahad.”

“The minute Tasha referred to you as a white knight, your fate was sealed,” I told him, threading my fingers through his. “I have a sad liking for white knights. Especially the Arthurian ones.”

James just grinned at me. “I don’t think I’m pure enough to be Galahad.”

“You’d definitely have taken advantage of the ladies of Castle Anthrax?” Sam joked. We’d watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail a week or so earlier. 

“Something like that.” James was looking right at me when he said it, and my stomach dropped at the look that flickered in his eyes. I was reminded that we hadn’t had our ‘birds and bees’ talk yet. And I wished that we could dispense with the talk and get to the fun stuff. Stat.

I grabbed my laptop back from James, and opened my email. I grabbed the picture I’d taken, attached it to the post, and hit post.

“Done,” I said. “Now, where did we get to?”

“The curly haired guy was being a douche,” Sam said. “Why do you and Yundu like him, anyway?”

“He grows on you,” I commented, snuggling into James’ hold and trying to remember what exactly the series was about.

 


	51. Chapter 51

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James end up in bed together

_I was at some kind of party. Not the gala, I realised a bit dreamily, but something close - maybe next year’s shindig? I knew I was dreaming, but I didn’t much care. I was wearing a pretty dress - I could feel the boning in the bodice and the fabric around my legs - and I was with James._

_Or at least, I thought I was. I thought I had felt someone’s hand in mine, but when I looked, my hands were empty. I looked around, frantic, at the sea of people, searching for the familiar dark head. There!_

_He was over by the champagne, leaning against a wall as if he were propping it up. ‘Typical,’ I thought with a grin, making my way over, threading through the crowd. I thought about shouting to him, but the assorted people were pretty noisy. Better to just go over and say hi like a normal human._

_At first the going was easy. I threaded through people without trouble, but about halfway through the amount of people seemed to double. And no one seemed to hear me when I asked them to move. So I resorted to tapping people on the shoulder. Or slipping past with my hands in the air._

_I was edging past a particularly podgy gentleman when I felt arms sliding around my waist. I yelped and tried to turn, but I couldn’t see who was holding me._

_“None of that, now,” I heard, and I couldn’t for the life of me place the voice._

_“No, no, let me go!” I protested, scrabbling at the hold around my middle. I tried to move forward, but the vise around my waist started to pull me backwards. Away from James. I started to flail more wildly, but I kept moving farther away._

_The greater the distance grew, the louder I shouted, until I was screaming, panicked - I couldn’t leave - they couldn’t take me away from him. “No! Let me go! James! Help! I have to get to him! James!”_

 

“Eve? Eve!” I opened my eyes and blinked twice. James’ blue eyes stared back at me, worried. His hand was on my shoulder, gripping almost too tight.

“Wha-? James?” I mumbled, rubbing a hand over my eyes. I was in our living room, lying on the couch. How had that happened? 

Then I remembered the dream, and I sat up in a rush, almost conking poor James on the head in my haste to get my arms around him, panic almost swamping me as I gasped and tried not to hyperventilate.

“Shh,” he said. “It’s ok, Eve. It was only a dream.” His hands rubbed soothingly up and down my back. “Everything’s fine. I’ve got you.”

“I’ve got you too,” I mumbled back, tightening my hold just slightly to reassure myself he was there. Slowly, muscle by muscle, I felt myself relax in his hold. I relaxed my hands from their death grip on each other, moving them to rest on his shoulder blades, and when James moved so he could actually sit on the couch, not just half-crouch in front of me, I let myself be moved with him so I was half-lying on him. Heck, I wasn’t complaining.

“Bad dream?” James asked eventually. He’d taken a strand of my hair and was playing with it, twisting it back and forth in his fingers.

“Yeah.” I made a face, watching my hair change colours as it twirled in the lamplight.

“Care to share?” he repeated Sam’s favourite phrase lightly.

“Ummm,” I said, thinking, trying to buy time. It seemed so silly, now, my dream. 

“I promise I won’t laugh,” James said gently, and I turned my head to look at him. He looked back, levelly. _Always so serious, this lad of mine,_ I thought bemusedly. 

“Ok,” I resolved. “Fine. I was at some party, and I saw you across the room. I tried to get to you, but I couldn’t - there were too many people in the way, and none of them were moving.” James nodded. “And then someone grabbed me - I don’t know who - and they started to pull me away. And I couldn’t stop them. And they wouldn’t let me get back to you. And I tried screaming, and shouting, and they wouldn’t let me go.” James’ arm that was still around my waist tightened fractionally, whether at my distress in relating the dream or because he didn’t like the idea of me not being able to get to him, I wasn’t sure. I knew that I’d been remembering my panic at being dragged away, and I was sure it had been obvious to James as well. “But then you woke me up, and you were there.” I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

“I was,” he said, kissing me gently. “Why were you asleep on the couch anyway?” I glanced at the clock on the wall and groaned. It was after 1 in the morning. 

“I was going to wait up until you got back,” I replied. I’d missed him. The Avengers had been called out on a quick mission three days ago, and it was the first mission James had tagged along for. Of course I’d been a nervous wreck for all three days, although I’d done my best to hide it, and there was no way in Hell that I wasn’t going to try and stay up once I’d received the call telling me they were coming back tonight. “You were supposed to get back at 11,” I said. 

“Weather over the Atlantic,” James said, pulling me even closer, so I was practically lying on his lap. “God, I missed you.” He kissed me again.

“Missed you too,” I murmured after the kiss. I wanted more, but I was falling asleep, and James must have seen it, because he put an arm underneath my knees and one around my shoulders and rose.

“Wha-?” I said for the second time that evening - morning? - As I was suddenly at least a metre off the ground. James had picked me up. Picked me up. From sitting. Gods bless that super serum.

“You’re exhausted,” he told me, walking across the room to my bedroom. The door was propped open, so all he had to do was kick it the rest of the way. “Get some sleep, and we’ll talk in the morning.”

“Just talk?” I said, my eyelids already beginning to sag. I wanted to keep them open with Scotch tape or something, because James was home, damnit! But I couldn’t. I relaxed onto my bed. 

“Maybe some other things too,” James said, kissing my temple. He turned to leave, and my pulse started to hammer, remembering the dream. James must have heard something, noticed something, because he turned. I noticed for the first time that he was still in SHIELD-issue gear - all black, of course, sweatshirt and track pants. I hadn’t seen him in it before. “Are you ok?” 

He was crouching at my bedside again almost instantly, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear. 

“I just…” I trailed off. I didn’t want to continue my thought, but, I figured, I might as well ask as not. After all, this way I might get some sleep. “Do you think you could stay here tonight?”James’ eyebrows rose. “Just sleep. You know. In the same bed.” I was sure I was blushing, but I was just tired enough to not back out. 

James ran a hand through his hair, and I reconsidered.

“You don’t have to, if you don’t want to,” I told him. “I’ll be ok.” _Not as ok as if you were sleeping here,_ I thought, _but that’s ok._  

He shook his head. “No, no.” He stood, and I thought he was leaving. Instead, he pulled the hoodie off and toed off his sneakers. Next came the t-shirt until he was just in pants. “Scoot,” he said.

“Not my fault you dropped me in the centre of the bed,” I snarked gently, smiling as he climbed into bed. James Barnes, in my bed! My heart was doing backflips, and I was suddenly very awake. Tired, but awake.

I rolled onto my side, and realised he was on his side as well, facing me.

“So,” I said.

“So.” 

“We’re in bed together,” I said. “Not exactly the way I imagined.”

“Not really.” James’ smile flashed. “Still.” He shifted. “I think I like your bed better than mine.”

“I think I like you in my bed better than in yours,” I said. I got a real grin this time. Then I yawned.

“Get some sleep,” James said, grabbing my hand. “We’ll talk in the morning.”

“It is morning.” I was already sleepy-mumbling.

“Later,” James said. Then, slowly, like he was afraid of startling me, he shifted again, so that his arm was around my shoulders and my head could pillow on his chest. “Is this ok?”

“More than,” I snuggled. “Perfect.”

The last thing I remember hearing is James’ chuckle.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Just FYI, I still plan on posting every day - yesterday life got in the way (stupid applications...).


	52. Chapter 52

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve skypes Jo.

“You still haven’t hit that?” Jo was incredulous. Even over Skype.

“Jo!” I protested, drawing out her name so it made three or four syllables.

“But come on, seriously?” she said, eyebrows rising dramatically. “Even Yundu and Sam have managed, and they’re on separate continents, for crying out loud!”

I wanted to hide behind my scarf. I was wearing one, for a change - the weather had turned suddenly cold, and I’d resorted to scarves instead of getting out my big winter jacket again. I compromised, dropping my head for a few seconds while my face overheated. 

“Ok, yes. We haven’t had sex yet,” I said. 

“Why?” Jo grinned. “It’s not like he’s not imminently fuckable.”

“Jo!” 

“Look into your heart, you know it to be true,” she drawled, and I giggled.

“Miles got you watching Star Wars after all?” I asked. Miles loved Star Wars, insisting that there was a Star Wars quote for every occasion.

It was Jo’s turn to smile fondly. “No getting off the subject, Bates,” she said. I swallowed the sudden guilt. I still hadn’t told Jo about being a Stark. That information was still restricted to the denizens of Avengers Tower. “We were talking about the notable lack of a man in your bed.”

“I didn’t say that,” I said, grinning. She raised an eyebrow, so I explained. “We sleep together most nights.” I grimaced. “If I have a nightmare, or he does.” Almost every night we slept apart, not that there had been more than two since James had returned from his mission, I had nightmares. And when I couldn’t sleep, James found me curled up on the couch the next morning, zonked out to Buffy reruns. “We just sleep, though.” We kept trying to get to talk, but things kept getting in the way.

“A few passionate make-out sessions, and we totally act like a couple,” I grinned, thinking of Barton’s suggestion that morning that we finally just get a room and get it over with. “But, what with me and Spencer, and you know James has stuff of his own…” I’d told Jo about James being an ex-soldier.

Jo nodded. “But you can’t put it off forever, Eve.” She grinned again. “If you don’t have that talk soon, I know exactly what’s going to happen. You’re going to come back one night from a concert looking gorgeous, and you’re going to demand that James rip off the gown and ravage you. Of course the poor man will have no choice but to obey.”

I blushed. “If you say so.”

“I do say so,” she said smugly. 

“Ok, Mom,” I told her. “I’ll have the talk.”

“See that you do.” Jo’s phone beeped. She turned it over and looked, and I had the distinct joy of watching all the colour drain from her face.

“What’s wrong?”

Jo’s head snapped up. “Check your Twitter.” She snapped the order, and my hand grabbed for my phone. Sure enough, I had a Twitter alert. I swiped and unlocked my phone.

“How can I have - a hundred messages on Twitter?” I opened the app.

_Is it true you’re a Stark?_

_Eve, any comment on your relationship with Tony Stark?_

And those were the polite ones. The others ranged from vitriol to suggestive comments to just plain garbage. Someone had helpfully linked to an article, so I opened the link and read.

 _Rumours have surfaced that Tony Stark’s goddaughter Eve Bates is in fact his biological daughter. It appears the pair were unaware of this until recently, even though Stark is playing the role of parent after Bate’s parents’ death a few years ago. Representatives of Stark and Bates were not available for comment._ I looked at the source. The Sun. Of bloody course.

“How could I have been available for comment if I didn’t even know they were writing the article?” I fumed. 

“Um, Eve?” I looked up, having forgotten Jo was there. “This is a joke, right?”

I took a deep breath. “Actually, it’s not a joke. Tony’s my bio dad.”

Jo’s jaw dropped, and I chuckled. “You’ll catch flies, dear,” I told her gently.

“And you just found out?”

“A month or so ago,” I made a face. “It’s why I left England in such a hurry. My sainted mother left us both a letter, that we were supposed to open together, and Tony opened it early and freaked out.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry for not telling you earlier, Jo. We wanted to keepit as quiet as we possibly could, so only people who actually live in the Tower know.”

“Wow.” It was Jo’s turn to shake her head. “Just. Wow.” She smiled. “I can’t even imagine. Learning Tony Stark is your dad? You’ve always been close, but I would assume this was a shock.”

“You could say that,” I replied drily. “But actually not as much as you’d think. The shock was less that Tony was my dad, but that Dad wasn’t, if you know what I mean.”

“And you haven’t told anyone?”

“Only the Avengers know,” I said. “And Pepper.”

“And James?”

“Of course. He was there when I found out.”

Jo ran a hand across her eyes. 

“It looks like you have a leak,” she said finally. I was a bit taken aback. I was more used to that sort of tactical thinking from myself or Miles. Perhaps we were rubbing off on her. _Ugh. Bad image_ , I thought, the thought of Miles and Jo rubbing on each other just too much for any friend to think about for too long.

“It appears we do.” I looked at my fingers absently. “And I’ll probably have to come out as Tony’s daughter. We weren’t planning on doing it this soon.”

“If ever?”

“We’d have to do it at some point,” I said. “Tony wants me to at least have the clout of the association, even if I don’t want to take over the company - which I don’t.”

“Yeah. Eve Bates, CEO?” Jo laughed. “I can’t see it.” My phone buzzed. It was Tony.

“That’s Tony. I’m going to have to take this. Talk later?”

“Later, Bates!” She grinned. “Or should that be ‘Later, Stark’?”

“As you prefer,” I grinned back. “Bye Jo.” I disconnected, picking up my phone.

“Hi Tony. I take it you saw the reports?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I didn't get a chapter posted yesterday, but I hope this one makes up for it. I'm writing the next right after this, so it should hopefully get posted tomorrow on schedule.
> 
> Thanks so much for bearing with me!


	53. Chapter 53

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony, James, and Eve try to deal

“Hi Tony. I take it you saw the reports?”

“Hi kiddo. I guess you saw them too?” Tony was being just as clinical as I was, and I wondered whether I’d inherited my ‘get all information first, ask questions later’ mindset from him. 

“Yup.” I swallowed, the news only now starting to hit me. “I was Skyping Jo, and her phone buzzed. I guess she has me on Twitter alert. Or something.”

“Pepper told me a half-hour ago - I wanted to get some information before I called you. Besides, it’s early.” I glanced at the clock. 8:30.

“Only for some, Tony,” I grinned, but the smile felt forced. “So what happened?” I finally asked the question I’d been wanting the answer for since I saw the first Tweet. “Who leaked?”

“We don’t know yet.” Tony sounded frustrated. “It wasn’t SI, I don’t think.”

“We compartmentalised the shit out of it,” I agreed. “I mean, the only people at SI who know are the team - Steve, Sam, Barton, Tash, Bruce - and you, me, and James. Oh, and JARVIS, of course.”

“You think the lawyers leaked it?”

“It makes more sense than that one of us did,” I said. “But we should be careful before we start pointing fingers.”

“Agreed.” Tony started to say something, then started again. “But Eve, once I find out, I want to eviscerate them.”

“As long as it’s not a literal evisceration and won’t land you in prison, I’ll be right behind you,” I said, matching his harshness with my own.

“And the media will be all over you.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” I sighed. “So not looking forward to that one, Pops.” I’d started calling him that more and more often. Tony was Pops, Dad was Dad. It was my way of, well, acknowledging that they were both my fathers. Different, but the same.

“I know, hon. I’m sorry.” Tony suddenly covered his phone with something. I could hear the rumble of his voice, but not what he said. Then he was back. “Kiddo, do you want to come over to the Tower?”

I glanced at the clock again. “James should be back from his run soon - I want to tell him before everything gets hectic. Come over after that?”

“Sure.” I could see the grimace of distaste on Tony’s face. “Pepper and the PR people can start ‘formulating their response’.”

“Oh goody.”

The front door was suddenly flung open and James burst through.

“Gotta go,” I said, hanging up on Tony. I looked up. James had vanished. I turned my head slowly. Still no James. “James?” I called carefully. I heard a noise from my bedroom, so I walked over slowly, almost loudly, making my presence known. I pushed open the door. 

James was crouched in the far corner of the bedroom, between his side of the bed and the wall. He sprang upright when he saw me, crossing the distance between us, stopping just short of touching me. I quirked an eyebrow in silent question.

“There were people… outside. Outside our front door.”

“People?”

“Paparazzi. With cameras. And people shouting.” He grabbed for my hand like a lifeline. “They were asking about you. And I almost…” I suddenly found myself with an armful of supersoldier. “I almost hurt them, Eve. I was this close to killing a few and telling the rest to stay away from my home. From you.” His hands fisted in the shirt I had on, pulling me even closer.

I didn’t - couldn’t - say anything right then, so I just held him closer. Then, before I knew it, I found myself speaking. “I hate them too, love. And we’re going to have to put up with them for a while, or at least, I am.” My stomach dropped at the same time my arms fell to my sides. James pulled away.

“What’s wrong?”

 _Will he want to be with me now, dealing with all of this?_ I suddenly wondered, fear causing my heart rate to rocket. “Someone found out this morning that I’m a Stark,” I said. “It’s all over the Web, and Tony called just before you arrived. I was going to see whether you wanted to come to the Tower with me.”

“Of course I will!” It was his turn to comfort me, ushering me over to the bed and sitting down next to me.

“I don’t think there’s any way around revealing the truth,” I said, a little glumly. “Not that I’m not proud to be Tony’s daughter, though,” I rushed to explain myself. “I love being Tony’s daughter. But heir to Stark Industries? All of the media and stuff? I don’t love that so much.” I looked at my hands, which had intertwined themselves with one of James’. “And the media circus will likely get worse before it gets better.” _So here’s the out, if you want to take it. I won’t blame you if you do._

James sat there for a second. “So what’s the easiest way to get us to the Tower without attracting attention?” he asked, and I almost tackled him to the bed, throwing my arms around him and turning my head toward his for a kiss.

 

 

Both of our shirts were off and James was working on my bra when I heard my phone in the other room. 

“Worst timing ever,” I growled, not wanting to move. James kissed the exposed skin just above my bra, then rolled off me.

“Duty calls,” he said, getting up and pulling me off the bed as well. “That’s the third time your phone has rung.”

“Seriously, you were thinking about that?” I teased. He just shook his head at me before he kissed me again, slow and deep. 

“You really should answer that,” he said, letting me go at last. I grumbled, but obeyed, knowing he was right. I did have to deal with this, much as I’d rather hide in my apartment with James. 

I looked at my missed calls. One from JARVIS, one from Pepper. And another from Pepper. I hit redial.

“Eve?”

“Hi, Aunt Pepper, sorry. I was… distracted.” _Is there a better way to say ‘hoping to finally have sex with my boyfriend’? Because if there is, I really can’t find one._  

“We need to get you to the Tower,” she said without preamble.

“Ok, why?”

“Because your neighbours managed to let reporters into the building.”

“So how are you going to get me out? Oh, and James too?”

“Clint and Natasha are on their way. They said to be ready to leave in fifteen minutes.” James had been by my side, listening. His eyes met mine and I nodded my assent to the plan. He jerked his head to the bedroom and I nodded again.

“All right. No problem. But why the Tower?”

“Because if we’re going to be spilling the news that you’re a Stark - and that’s inevitable now, you know that, right?”

“Yeah.”

“If we tell the world, you’ll want to be someplace safe. Tony will want you someplace safe. And James, for that matter. People will think they can get to the Avengers through you, and the first two weeks will be the worst.”

“I’m not stopping work.”

“No one says you have to.”

“We’ll talk about this later.” I decided I needed at least three arguments to get Pepper to reconsider her overprotective, harebrained scheme, so I’d try and come up with four. And arguing with Pepper always worked better in person anyway. “Let Tasha and Barton know we’ll be ready.”

“See you soon.” The line went dead, and I looked around the flat. It already seemed like someone else’s apartment. 

 _So much for home,_ I thought.

 


	54. Chapter 54

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint and Natasha arrive.

“Do you have a go-bag?” James asked as I hung up, emerging from his room with a duffel. 

“No,” I said, moving to my room. “And my vio-“ I stopped mid-word. I’d been about to say violin. That I didn’t want to leave without it. But that was silly, as someone could pick it up. It would be fine without me. So I didn’t finish my sentence. “I’ll pack one.”

James followed me, bag dropped in the middle of the room. “What were you going to say?” he asked.

“Violin.” I said, gesturing to the case on my bed. “But I can’t take it now, right? It’ll only get in the way. Someone can come back and get it later.”

“I’m sorry, love.”

“Not your fault.” I gave James a quick smile and grabbed a duffel of my own. What would I need. 

“How many days should I pack for?” James was alternating between door and windows. Apparently his training was kicking in.

“At least three.” I grabbed the essentials, plus a few things for work - and I wanted to go to work, then dashed to the bathroom and did the same thing, going through checklists the entire time. It was like packing for a trip away at high speed. _Clothes, check. Underwear, check. Pjs, check. Wash things, check. Laptop_

I went to pick up my laptop in the kitchen, but James beat me to it. He was already tucking my laptop into one of his bags. _Well, I guess we’re a real couple now,_ I thought, smiling my thanks. “Charger?” I asked.

He nodded. “Your laptop, my tablet, both chargers, and chargers for our phones.” There was a knock on the window. I started to go and look, but James had me pulled into a corner before I realised it. “Stay here. I’m going to go check.”

 _Let the supersoldier do his job,_ I reminded myself firmly as I resisted the urge to snap at James. From the corner, I heard a window opening and a ‘come in.’ I started to peek around the corner.

“Eve? They’re here.” I walked in to see Natasha and Barton in civilian gear, as relaxed as ever. James was more clearly on edge, and a window was open.

“Hi guys. Fire escape?”

Natasha nodded. “And that’s how you’ll get out.” She turned to James. “Go bags packed?”

“Three. Two in here, one in Eve’s room.” He gestured with his head.

“All right. Go grab one of your sweatshirts, then. An unmarked one.” James vanished, and I was left alone with Clint and Natasha.

“Good morning,” I finally said. “And how are you two on this most lovely of days?”

“If there was ever any doubt you’re a Stark…,” Clint said. “Only Tony can pull of _that_ level of sarcasm.”

“I take the label with pride,” I said, putting my nose in the air. 

A sweatshirt flew by my head at Natasha, who grabbed it, then shoved it at me. “Put this on.”

I complied, pulling the garment over my head and revelling in the familiar smell. James’ clothes smelled amazing. 

“You’ll be taking the fire escape out,” Natasha told both of us even as my head cleared the mass of fabric. “We’ve got cash, if you don’t have it, and you’ll be making your way to the Tower. On foot, please. Cash only, and use the back entrance.

“Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs,” James drawled.

“You might not need the reminder, Yasha,” Natasha said, as calmly as ever. “She does.” I felt a bit like a flag in a storm, being whipped one way and the other. My only shock was that I was outwardly so calm. Inside, I was a wreck. I moved a bit closer to James, who put an arm around my shoulders, seemingly without thinking about it. 

“And you?” James was amused, not annoyed. I slid an arm around his waist myself, needing the contact, and noticed a shape underneath his shirt. _A holster. He’s got a weapon there. At least one._ I digested that for a minute. I knew James had liked having weapons on him, but he hadn’t since we’d moved in together, and I’d never seen him with one before. My hand paused, then finished its journey.

Natasha was replying. “We’re going out the front way. I’ll dress in your clothes, Eve, if that’s ok?” I nodded. “Big hat, sunglasses, and I’ll let them get ripped off at some point. That way, they’ll know it wasn’t Eve.”

“So you want me to keep the hood up?” I asked. After all, my blonde hair was a little bit different than her red.

“For as long as possible.” She looked at us briefly. “Now scoot. Get to street level, then act like the couple you are. They won’t be looking for that.”

I looked at the pair of them, standing calmly in my flat, preparing to take on enemies more fearsome than any goon or villain - the press. 

“Thank you,” I said, suddenly a bit overwhelmed. “I can’t say I know what this means, for you to do this, but I have some idea, and really. Thank you. So much.”

Clint ruffled my hair on the way to the front door. “Don’t mention it, kid. You’re family now.”

Natasha kissed me on the cheek. “Anything for family, right?” I smiled. If Natasha wanted to be part of my family, I wasn’t going to complain.

“Right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a bit short, but I didn't want to break up the 'getting to the Tower' scene that comes next to add length.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!


	55. Chapter 55

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James walk to the Tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of spy-esque writing for your amusement... Hope you enjoy!

I took a last look around, having a sinking feeling I wouldn’t be seeing the place anytime soon. Or possibly living here again. _When I find the person responsible for this leak, I am personally going to string them up by their own entrails,_ I thought viciously. _Pepper can help._

“Ready?” James stood by the fire escape, a weird expression on his face.

“What?”I asked, smiling for the first time in what felt like hours.

“It’s just…” He looked at me, and something dashed across his face - I was too far away to see it properly. “You should wear my things more often.” I leaned my head into my shoulder, breathing in. James’ vaguely piney cologne, our laundry detergent, and something else that was purely James.

“I have no objection,” I said lightly, moving to the fire escape myself. “Let’s blow this joint.”

James must have noticed something in my tone, or in my movements, because he stopped me as I was about to put one foot through the window. He put his arms on my shoulders and held me at arm’s length, studying me for long seconds. Then he pulled me in for a hug. “We’ll have a place again,” he promised. “And wherever we go, I will be there. You always have home with me.”

He knew. He knew what had been bothering me, and I buried my face in his shirt and tried not to cry, because this - this blend of love, sadness, and anger, was a bit too much emotion for me to take. But I couldn’t let go just yet, so I decided to kiss James instead. 

He stiffened at first in surprise, but milliseconds later - _Gods, I love that superserum_ \- he was kissing me back, lips warm and firm against mine, one arm around my waist pulling me closer. _We are SO christening the guest wing when we get to the Tower,_ I thought. _Tony’ll just have to deal with it._

Someone cleared his throat, and I was suddenly between James and whomever it was. 

“Cool it, hotshot,” Barton drawled. “Just me.” I peered around to find Barton grinning at us. “You’d better get going, though.” He looked at me. “We’ll take care of it, Eve. Don’t worry.”

“I trust you,” I told him, then turned to James. “Well, shall we?”

“Let’s.” He climbed through the window, then stepped back for me. I knew I was clumsier than he was, but I was also smaller, so I managed without needing help. I waved at Barton, who was apparently making sure we made it out of the building in one piece, then headed down the staircase, following James.

I don’t know why, but I definitely expected James to use the last staircase instead of just dropping the 12 feet to the ground as if it was nothing. He glanced around, checking the alley was deserted, I guessed, then looked back at me. 

 _He wants me to jump?_ I thought, a bit panicked. _I’ll break something, surely._ Then the other voice, the surer one, stepped in. _Don’t be an idiot. James will catch you. And you can be strong for this. Just hold on until you get to the Tower. James knows what he’s doing._ So instead of wasting time on silly questions, I sat on the edge of the railing as James moved a foot to the left, prepared to catch me. He nodded, and, with a last deep breath, I dropped.

Strong arms caught me, of course, and lowered me the last foot or so to the ground. James pressed a kiss to my temple. “Well done,” he said, and I practically levitated with pride.  _See?_ I told the little doubter inside me. _I can do it!_ I pulled up the hood of the sweatshirt, mindful of Tasha’s instructions, and stuck close to James’ side. He stopped before we reached the end of the alley. 

“We’ll walk to the Tower - not the direct way, though. Act like a tourist as much as you can - look around, act interested in the sights.” He pulled a beanie out of his back pocket. “Wear this. The hood restricts your peripheral vision too much.” He grinned as I pushed back the hood and put on the skullcap. “Also, you never wear hats. It should fool anyone who’s looking for you, as your face isn’t that well-known yet.” I pulled a pair of sunglasses for myself, and one for him out of the bag, handing his over.

“I remember Pepper complaining, early on,” I said in explanation. James just grinned.

“Not for me, thanks. I see better without.” I stuck his sunglasses in my bag again, but shoved mine on. James slung an arm around my shoulders. “Ready to go?”

“Yup.” I looked up into his eyes and felt more like this was an adventure than an actual attempt to secret me from one side of New York to the other without attracting undue attention. “Let’s go, 007.” James chuckled.

 

 

 

On any other day, in any other circumstance, I would have made the journey to the Tower on foot in about half an hour. But with James leading us, it took three times that long. We went into the park, got coffee. We walked up and down a busy street, down into the subway and back up. We took a back way for five blocks in the wrong direction, then doubled back. All the time I could feel James looking around, trying to spot a tail or someone where they shouldn’t be. 

I was somewhat awed, observing James in his area of expertise. Anyone who didn’t know him as well as I did would have pegged him for a tourist - looking around with eyes wide, grinning at me as he stole brief kisses. He really was great at his work, and I felt so proud of him.

I felt like I was seeing the city for the first time. I saw back alleys, rooftops, hidden doorways where people could be hiding. Everywhere there lay danger of someone popping up and snapping a photo or two. But at the same time, I felt like I was a tourist - some girl who normally wore an oversize sweatshirt and a beanie, wandering around a new city. So lost was I in playing tourist that I didn’t realise we were almost at the Tower until I recognised my favourite coffee shop a block away.

“Almost there,” I whispered to James, who had switched to my other side, but still had an arm around my shoulders.

He nodded, taking a look around. “Check your phone, please.” It was funny, how he had been talking to me. I could hear Sargent Barnes in his tone, the man who gave orders and expected them to be obeyed, but he always added a please. Or an endearment. _He is the most precious man ever,_ I thought fondly, reaching into the front pocket of the sweatshirt for my phone. 

“Tasha and Clint are done at home - they’re back already,” I reported, scanning through the texts that had arrived. “Tony’s getting a bit antsy, but Pepper must be sitting on him, because he sent me a few things up to a half-hour ago, and nothing since. That, or he got the idea to track the phone.” James tensed, and I put a hand on his chest.

“It’s Stark tech, love. Tony puts trackers on everything ever since the Obadiah Incident. Only he can access it. He made sure of that.” James relaxed slightly. “And a text from Pepper, saying the guards all know to expect us.” James nodded.

“Ok, let’s go.” He kissed my forehead, then looked both ways before ushering me across the road.

 

 

 

 


	56. Chapter 56

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James make it to the Tower

The back door to the Tower opened before I had to knock. Not that it was the only back door to the Tower. Technically, it was “Exit 3B6, personnel only”. The Tower had more exits than I could easily remember, and half of them weren’t on any blueprint released to the city inspectors. But Exit 3B6 was the most discreet of the easily accessible entrances, wedged between an alley and a bodega next to the coffee shop. 

“Good morning, Eve, Sargent Barnes,” JARVIS said as the door closed behind us. I leaned against the wall, pulling off the hat. The damn thing had really started to itch about an hour into the journey - the reason I never wore hats in the first place - they were simply too annoying.

“Hey J.” 

“Morning, JARVIS.”

“Connect me to Tony, please?” I said, as we moved into the corridor. A few seconds silence, then -

“Eve?”

“Hey Pops. We’re here.”

“I figured. Coming up?”

“Yup. Any news?”

“Nothing we weren’t expecting. We can give you the full version when you get here. Love you, kid.”

“Love you too, Tony.”

 

I suddenly felt the distance we had walked in every bone of my feet. Perhaps it was the adrenaline wearing off, but I felt like I had just sprinted every inch of the five miles we’d walked. I glanced at James, padding alongside me as silently as usual.

“You ok there?” I asked. I hadn’t really had a chance to check in with him since his run-in with the reporters. First it was Clint and Natasha, then we were walking and he was busy.

He looked over at me. “I think so. You?”

“Let’s see what exactly is going on first.” We waited for the lift to arrive, and I put my arms around him. “But I know I wouldn’t be handling this half so well if you weren’t here. So thanks.”

“’S what I’m here for,” he murmured into my hair.

The lift opened, and Pepper stood in the car. She was immaculate as always, dressed for work in a black sheath dress and Louboutins.

“Morning, Miss Potts,” James said. 

“Good morning, James,” she said. “I see you and Eve arrived safely.”

“Hi Pep’,” I said, heading into the elevator. I let the doors close before I asked my next question. “How’s Tony dealing with this?”

Pepper gave a chuckle. “Vacillating between being happy it’s finally out, angry that he didn’t get to announce it himself with a sky-writer, and wanting to wreak vengeance on the person who leaked it.”

“Who is?” James asked. I thought he sounded perhaps a little too interested, but when I glanced up at him, he just looked back as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. _I’ll have to keep an eye on that,_ I thought. 

“We still don’t know,” Pepper said. “We’ve narrowed it down to someone in the lawyer’s office.”

I nodded, understanding. “I told you Tony and I were trying to get the legal stuff sorted out before we went public, right?” James nodded. I made a face. “When they figure it out, I’d like some time with said person.” _And Natasha’s expertise,_ I thought, but kept it firmly to myself. 

The doors opened, and I smelled pancakes. 

“Thor just arrived,” Pepper said. “Want to meet him?”

“Wait. I thought he liked pop tarts!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's so short! There will be a longer chapter tomorrow, I promise, but I wanted to get something to you all today.
> 
> Also... I'm so excited to have Thor here. He kind of showed up out of nowhere, and I'm guessing he's not going to be too happy about someone maligning the Man of Iron's daughter either...


	57. Chapter 57

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor... and Pancakes!

“Pop Tarts?” Pepper looked confused. “Where did you hear that?”

We stopped just outside the elevator. “Darcy, I think,” I said, trying to remember what exactly the brunette had said about Thor and Pop Tarts.

Pepper nodded. “I see.” She grinned. “Darcy can’t cook. So when Thor showed up one time, she fed him PopTarts. He likes them, but apparently, he loves pancakes.”

“Oh. Ok.” I was a little nonplussed at the casual explanation. It seemed a little… underwhelming for a Norse God.

The god in question appeared, sticking his head into the hallway. Goodness, he was tall. And handsome, in that kind of football player way that I knew was supposed to be attractive, but I didn’t quite… understand. 

“Lady Pepper!” he boomed. The man’s voice positively echoed in the hallway, and I wondered whether he always spoke that loudly. “And you must be Lady Eve and Sargent Barnes - it is a pleasure to meet both of you.”

“Likewise, Prince Thor,” I said, and we followed him into the common room.

“It is a dreadful thing, these ‘reporter’ people have done, forcing you to leave your home,” Thor continued. “If you desire it, Lady Eve, I would gladly smite them with Mjolnir.”

I forced a smile - it was a kind offer. “Thank you, Thor. But I don’t think that would help. And it’s just Eve. I’m no lady.”

“I disagree,” James whispered in my ear, and I blushed. 

“Listen to the good Sargent, Lady Eve,” Thor said, still booming. I was starting to wish he had a ‘quiet’ setting, but coming to realise that it was simply the god’s way. At least he seemed cheerful enough. “Although you may not have a Midgardian title, you are, indeed, a lady.”

James’ hand found mine and our fingers intertwined. 

“Thor, stop flirting with Eve and help me flip these pancakes,” a new voice called. I looked over to the kitchen and found a petite brunette in front of the stove. _Must be Jane Foster,_ I mused.

“Jane!” Thor said, reproachfully. His puppy dog eyes were a thing of beauty, I thought with an inward chuckle. “You know I would never show another woman affection.” He went over to her and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

“Now you know how we feel when you two get all lovey dovey,” Natasha said, coming over. “Nice to know you haven’t lost your touch, Yasha.”

James almost growled at the Russian. “You know better than most, Natalia. Nothing comes between me and the people I care about.”

“And we’re not that bad,” I said, trying to change the subject away from possible mutilation of paparazzi. “Are we?”

Pepper chuckled. “You’re worse.”

I looked over at Thor and Jane, still intertwined, heedless of the stove or the onlookers. 

“Oh dear.”

“Thor?” It was Steve, who had appeared next to James as if out of nowhere. _How did he manage to move that quietly?_ I wondered. _It’s not like he’s built like a house, or anything._ Steve smiled at me in greeting, patting James on the shoulder as Thor and Jane separated.

“Ah, Captain!” he said. “How do you fare this morning?”

“I’m fine, Thor. How’s breakfast?” Thor turned to stare at the pancakes as if he had forgotten their existence. Jane patted his chest and moved over to us.

“Hi,” she said, the remains of a blush still clear on her face. “I’m Jane Foster.”

“Eve Bates,” I said, shaking the woman’s extended hand. Gods, she was tiny. I was a bit afraid of breaking her.

“James Barnes,” James said, shaking her hand in turn. 

“When did you and Thor arrive?” I asked. “I thought you two weren’t due to arrive for another few days?” I knew, in fact, that they had planned on coming back to Earth on Friday. Today was Tuesday. 

“We decided to head back a little early,” Jane said, “We got here last night - Darcy’s birthday is Thursday, and we didn’t want to miss it.” 

JARVIS interrupted. “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Stark would like Miss Potts, Eve, and Sargent Barnes to meet him in the lab.”

“We’ll be there in a sec,” Pepper said. “Thanks, JARVIS.”

“You are not staying for pancakes?” Thor asked, and I was treated to a glorious ‘sad puppy’ expression. It was fairly adorable, coming from a man even bigger than Steve. 

“Unfortunately not,” I said. “Maybe next time?”

“Don’t offer,” James said. “Otherwise you’ll be forced to eat pancakes until you can’t move.”

“Sounds awful,” I said deadpan. “Too late now anyway. I face my pancake doom with fear, trembling, and a healthy appetite.”

James chuckled. “Go see Tony?” 

I nodded, mirth forgotten.

 

 

 

“I know, I know.” Tony was rambling to JARVIS by the time Pepper, James and I made it to the lab. “I can’t kill the bastard. But what about maiming him? I mean, it’s not like I’m not proud to be Eve’s dad, but it should have been her choice when to share the news, and the bastard took that away from her.”

“I think maiming is inadvisable,” JARVIS said, as calmly as ever.

“I agree,” Pepper said drily. “No maiming, Tony. Please?”

Tony turned, not realising he had company. He stopped when he met my gaze.

“Oh, kiddo. I’m so sorry,” he said, running a hand through already-messy hair. “I’ll fix it, I swear.”

I crossed the few steps between us and hugged him. “It’s ok, Pops.” I buried my head in his shoulder as he hugged back. Tony still gave the best hugs ever. “It’s not the way I would have chosen, but I’m proud to have you as a dad as well.” I whispered the next bit in his ear. “And I want in on the maiming too.”

“You got it,” he whispered back.

“So who is this person?” James asked. I noticed the tone in his voice, and started to get worried. I hadn’t heard that tone from him before. He was angry. And very very determined. Uh oh.

“JARVIS hacked into the lawyer’s computers,” Tony said. “Which was way easier than it should have been, by the way,” he told Pepper. “I’m going to fix that. Anyway, it turns out one of the junior partners working on the ‘Eve Bates is a Stark’ case has a bit of a grudge. I slept with his sister, years ago.” I could see the loathing in Tony’s face, so I grabbed his hand. Pepper went to stand next to him as well. “Apparently, I was a dick - big surprise there - and he saw a way to get back at me.” He ran his hand through his hair again. “He’s already been fired - I gave the law firm the news when I found it. The question is just what else we want to do to the guy.”

“Ok,” I said slowly. The man who’d stolen my free will had had a reason. He’d wanted to get back at Tony for being an asshole to his sister. Understandable, right? Actually…

No, I didn’t understand it at all. I refused to believe that I would try and hurt someone else through their loved ones. Reprehensible behaviour - causing someone to leave their home, skirt around New York like a spy just to avoid having your life splashed on every gossip column, revealing information that I hadn’t been ready to reveal. I wanted him to suffer. 

Then I looked at James’ face. He was staring at me, but he didn’t really see me, I could tell, and the expression on his face was deadly. If the junior partner had been in the room with us, I was sure he’d already be dead. _You need to be the bigger person. For James,_ I told myself.

“Let’s do the legal route first.” Tony jerked his eyes to mine. “Publish the information, make sure it’s right, go for the truth.” I grinned. “Then sue. But not for money. We don’t need it, and I don’t want it. I just want to make his life a misery. We sue for a public apology. And if we want revenge after that, we can still go with the superhero option.”

“Are you sure?” It was Pepper, her eyes as dangerous as James’. 

“I’m sure.” I said it calmly. One of us had to remain calm at all times - someone had to reign in the natural desire for vengeance, and right now, that someone was me. “We need to figure out what the hell we’re going to do now the news is out.”

“Get settled into the guest wing first,” Pepper suggested. “Clint and Natasha left your things there, and I think it might be best for you to stay with us, at least for a few days.”

I wanted to protest, to say that I wanted to go home, and I’d just deal with the press later, but I knew it was a bad idea. I just nodded and let James usher me to the lift. At least he was there with me. 

 


	58. Chapter 58

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve starts to deal with the problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate - hope you all had a lovely holiday!
> 
> I'm sorry for being absent this weekend. I'd planned to get writing done, but things kind of got away from me. But here's a chapter, and I hope you enjoy!

I looked at the conference room, at the sea of faces waiting for me to say something. James was standing in the corner, at my back. Tony and Pepper were at the seats to my right. Agent Hill from SHIELD was there. And lawyers. And PR people. And businesspeople from Stark Industries. All looking at me. _You can do this, Eve,_ I told myself firmly. _No more terrifying than playing Brahms for a crowded hall, right?_ I stifled my half-grin at that. Yes, it was far more terrifying than playing the Brahms concerto. At least I’d had a chance to practice that!!

I stopped dithering and pulled myself together. I put on the Mask, the face that said I had everything under control, that I was calm and confident, and smoothed my hands on my skirt. I’d changed, as soon as we’d arranged this meeting, into something more suitable than the jeans and James’ sweatshirt I had been wearing. A pencil skirt and a blue button down were much more appropriate for a meeting, or as I thought of it, a war council.

“Thank you for coming, ladies and gentleman,” I said, and everyone sat up that little bit straighter. “As we all know, this morning the press got hold of the news that I am Tony Stark’s biological daughter.” If the room had been fairly silent before, now the sound of a pen dropping would have sounded like a gunshot. “And make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, I am Tony Stark’s biological daughter.” This said in a voice of granite - the concertmaster voice, the one that neither asks for nor gives quarter.

“Right now I’m not concerned with retribution towards the guilty party. That comes later, and I have no objection whatsoever to making him suffer. However, I would like to address how we will be dealing with this in the public eye.” Everyone apart from Tony and Pepper started to pay even more attention, if that was possible. “I will be holding a press conference today at which Tony and I will be making a statement.” I flashed Tony a smile. “That is to say, I will be speaking, Tony will be beside me. There will be no Iron Man shenanigans,” I promised. 

“What will you be telling them?” Agent Hill asked.

“The truth.” _I know,_ I thought at the SHIELD agent, _A new concept for you, isn’t it, Agent?_ “I’ll read a prepared statement confirming my identity and asking for privacy while Tony and I continue to adjust to the knowledge we’re family.” _Not that we weren’t family before,_ I thought, smiling at him. He just grinned at me.

“And I promise to behave,” he said. Pepper just rolled her eyes. A promise to behave from Tony Stark was just as valid as a promise from a five-year-old not to eat the last cookie from a readily-accessible plate.

“Now, let’s get to the text of the statement,” I said, projecting my initial draft onto the tablets of everyone present.

 

 

 

 

 

“And what about security?” This was Agent Hill again. An hour and a half later, we’d sorted through the short statement, and I was feeling frazzled. Getting lawyers, PR people, Tony Stark, SHIELD, and myself to agree wasn’t exactly the easiest task on Earth. 

“Security?” I had my head in one hand as I read through the text one last time.

“Putting yourself in the spotlight like this - it’s going to make you a target.” I felt, rather than heard James moving behind me. He’d remained silent the entire time, and I wondered why exactly he’d wanted to stay - it must have been so boring.

“Oh please,” I said. 

“She’s right.” My head turned, because that was James.

“She is?” The rest of my body swivelled so I was entirely facing James. He looked worried, and angry, and tired. “The minute you step out there and announce you’re half-Stark, everyone who hates Stark, or the Avengers, or who just wants to make a political statement - everyone has a new Target Number One. You’re not an Avenger, you don’t have combat training. You’re a violinist. Easy prey.” He said it calmly, but I could tell he didn’t like it any more than I did.

“What do you suggest?” 

“I’d love to keep you locked in the Tower, but we all know that’s not going to happen.”

“It won’t,” I confirmed.

“In that case,” James ran a hand over his chin in thought. “A security team. You’re going to want at least one bodyguard full-time, if not more.” I made a face, and turned to face Tony, who was looking at James, worry clear on his face. Then I looked at Hill, who was impassive. She looked back at me, and I thought I saw a flash of sympathy in her eyes.

“Barnes, you do it,” Tony said, and I was concentrated on my father and my boyfriend once again. 

“Mr. Stark -“

Tony cut James off. “No one is going to protect her like you will, Barnes. Tell me someone else will do a better job and I’ll hire them.”

James shook his head, looked at the floor, then at me. Then at Tony. “You’re right, Stark. I’ll do it.”

I looked between the two of them, trying my best not to gape like a landed fish. I settled for my best “we’ll talk about this later” glare. No way I wanted my boyfriend playing bodyguard. That just…. I certainly wasn’t Whitney Houston. Nope. No no no. I wasn’t putting James in the line of fire because of me. Or letting him and his protective streak have full reign. No way.

 

 

 

Another wardrobe change later, and I was standing in front of a door, Pepper at my side.

“You look stunning,” she said. I glanced down at the borrowed light-blue sheath dress.

“Thanks, Pepper,” I said. “It’s your dress.”

“It’s not just the dress,” James said, kissing me on the cheek. “You look beautiful.” I gave him a quick smile. 

“You don’t look half-bad yourself, Sargent,” I teased, eyeing him in his suit and tie. For now, at least, I’d kept quiet and let James be bodyguard in chief. I’d talk with him later. 

“Ready, Eve?” Tony asked, strolling in, suited up himself.

“Ready,” I confirmed, and the doors swung open. I was almost blinded by the camera flashes, but I stepped forward as if I were stepping onto a stage. _Remember, all you need to see is the floor in front of you so you don’t fall,_ I told myself, keeping an eye on the marble so I didn’t slip on it. 

I took three steps up the platform and stepped in front of the podium someone had set up in the lobby of Avengers Tower. I wanted to wipe my hands on the front of my dress, but I knew that was a bad idea. On the podium was a tablet with the text of my address on it, although honestly I had read it so many times, I had it practically memorised anyway. I put my hands on the tilted surface and looked out into the sea of faces. _Well this is mildly terrifying,_ I thought, and the sarcasm actually forced a genuine half-grin to my face.

I checked that everything was present and correct, James and Pepper to my left, Tony to my right. I looked at Pepper one final time, who gave me a nod.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” I said, as the cameras flashed and the cameras rolled, “Thank you very much for coming today.”


	59. Chapter 59

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve press conferences. (You know, the verb "to press-conference". Like "to pressgang". Except even less fun for all parties involved.)

“As you may be aware, reports surfaced today that I am Tony Stark’s daughter. These reports are accurate.” The reporters murmured, but no actual questions got asked. Not that I would have answered them anyway.

“I am Tony Stark’s biological daughter.” It felt monumental weird to have to announce this to the world, something that really should have been just for family and friends. But I was proud to be related to Tony - I’d come to realise that loving Tony didn’t mean I loved Dad any less, and if I still was feeling ambivalent towards Mum, she’d been trying her best. I suppose.

“I will not be taking over Stark Industries - I’m a violinist, and I love my career. I’m not an Avenger either.” A general chuckle. _Nice to know self-effacing works,_ I thought, _even on the press._

“Now, as you can imagine, the news wasn’t released with anyone’s permission, and Tony and I are still trying to work out the personal and legal ramifications of our relationship. We both request you give us privacy during this time.” _And in the future as well, but we all know how well that will work. Best not to ask for impossibilities._

“Thank you for your time and attention,” I finished. “I’m afraid there won’t be any questions today.” I nodded, smiled as genuinely as I could, and stepped away from the podium, veins screaming with my adrenaline rush. I was surprised my hands weren’t shaking, but remained perfectly still. The reporters, who had remained silent while I was speaking, suddenly started to shout and ask questions as one. I kept the smile glued to my face and let myself be ushered off the stage and into the lift once again. 

James was hovering just behind me, one arm behind the small of my back, not touching me, eyes scanning everywhere. _He really is the perfect bodyguard,_ I thought, _Crap._

 

 

 

By the time I’d changed out of Pepper’s dress, into my own again, and made it into the common room, I was already on the news. 

“Great camera angle,” I snarked. It looked like I had a double chin, and, if nothing else, I certainly didn’t have a double chin.

“You look fine,” Pepper said distractedly from the couch. She was watching the TV and looking at a StarkPad. “Everyone looks horrible under those lights, and you still look beautiful.”

I just sighed. I wasn’t going to win that argument, so I stopped trying. Even if I did think I looked like a rather blue version of Catherine the Great. In her dotage. Someone turned the volume up.

“-Biological daughter,” I heard. Yup, that was me. _Gods this is bizarre,_ I thought. _I’m not used to this. Just me on the TV. No music, no real reason, just me. Because people are interested in me? Or in Tony? Really?_ I went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

“You did well,” Natasha commented. She was sat at the kitchen island, Clint’s arm around her shoulders, as relaxed as a cat sunning itself. 

“Thank you,” I said, giving her a smile. Then I remembered. “Oh, and thank you for the save this morning. I-“ I ran out of words. “Just, thank you. You didn’t have to do it, and it means the world, that you both, and the Avengers, are in my corner.”

Natasha actually smiled. It was a small smile, but a real one, I could tell. “Like I said, Eve, you’re family now. Anything for family.”

“Can I give you a hug?” I figured it was better to ask - assassins probably don’t get that many hugs.

“Sure.” Her smile turned into something a bit sharper, but still fond. Clint removed his arm from around her shoulder with a smile at me. Apparently he approved. _Is no one nice around here?_ I thought, knowing it wasn’t true. Everyone else here just had their own demons. I put my arms around the redhead, giving her a brief squeeze.

“How’re you handling this?” Clint asked when I’d let Natasha go. 

“This?” I wasn’t sure what he was referring to.

“You pick - the leak, the coming out, the press conference, being forced to leave home, Barnes being your bodyguard - want me to go on?”

“No, that’s really ok,” I said hurriedly. I reviewed his list. “I’m remarkably sanguine about the leak - no shoving a genie back into a bottle right? And we’ll punish the man who leaked it, if I can figure out a way to do it that doesn’t damage any of you,” I shot pointed looks at James and Tony, who had their heads together in a corner. Those two were trouble. Even if I loved them both desperately.

“The press conference was fine, if a bit bizarre, and it’s done for the minute. I’m imagining I’ll need to do some press so I don’t get hounded to within an inch of my life, but, well, that’s life. And James being my bodyguard - well, at least I get to see him more, right?” I dodged the home question. I wasn’t ready to deal with that one yet, even though I knew Clint and Natasha would have noticed the omission. 

“If he gets to be too much, let me know,” Natasha commented.

“Too much?”

“Yasha - James” she corrected, “He has a tendency to be overprotective.” I nodded. I knew that. “And Tony looks like he’s headed in the same direction.” The spy glanced at me, and I felt myself being studied again - sized up. “And I don’t think you’re going to be too happy about their restrictions. If you need my support, you’ve got it.”

I looked down, a bit overwhelmed. “Thanks, Natasha,” I said, meeting her eyes again. “I appreciate it.”

“I could always kidnap you, if it gets to be too much,” Clint offered with a grin. I grinned back as familiar hands threaded around my waist, and leaned into James’ hold.

“What’s this about a kidnap?” James asked.

“A joke, Yasha,” Natasha said. I traced the outlines of James’ interlocked hands on my stomach, feeling almost relaxed for the first time since the madness had descended.

 _You were right,_ I realised. _This is home. Right here, this, with James. Doesn’t matter where. I mean, leaving home sucks. But it’s not like you’re ever really away from home, not if James is there with you._ I turned and gave James a real hug. Behind me, Clint and Natasha started talking about Supernanny. Apparently Coulson had turned them on to it, and the pair were obsessed.

“I love you, you know?” I murmured into James’ shoulder.

“I love you too,” James said into my ear, and I felt a shudder go through me, from the top of my spine all the way to the tip of my toes. “And when we get to bed tonight, I’d like to show you how much,” he continued. His words were suggestive, the tone dark, but he made no move to hold me closer, or move his hands from my waist - trying to give me an out.

But I didn’t want one. I kissed him, trying to show him I wasn’t going anywhere, that I wanted him, that I loved him, all without words. And then, because I was Tony’s daughter and a motormouth, I spoke. “I’d like that very much,” I said, a bit breathless from the kiss. My voice had dropped in pitch and James’ grip on me tightened as I spoke. _So he likes that,_ I thought with a mental grin. _Good to know._ “Especially if I get to return the favour.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more family/Natasha fluff for you all, and some setup for subsequent plot twists...
> 
> Next chapter - the christening...


	60. Chapter 60

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The christening...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, folks. My first ever attempt at smut.
> 
> *Moves to go and hide in a corner*
> 
> Hope you like it/don't hate it!

“You do realise I’ve been thinking about this all night?” I gasped as James half-dragged me off the lift that evening. 

“All night?” he grinned and pulled me close. “Try the past two weeks.”

“At least,” I agreed, then gasped when he started kissing down my collarbone. “Ah! Do that again.”

“Your wish is my command.” I tilted my head farther to the left as James kissed and nipped, my pulse rising. My fingers, as if they had a will of their own, started pulling at his shirt. He’d kept the white shirt and the dress pants from earlier, discarding the tie and the blazer when I went to change. I might have wondered where James had found such a well-fitting suit on short notice, but my brain was busy elsewhere. I only really had room in my thoughts for his lips on my neck and my work to get him shirtless. As soon as possible.

James apparently had similar thoughts, because he stopped my efforts to unbutton his shirt to pull my cardigan off my shoulders. I went back to kissing him. We’d put this off for so long, waiting for the perfect moment, for the appropriate time. But the appropriate moment never happened. This certainly wasn’t it, this almost-frantic divesting of clothing in a borrowed space. But it didn’t have to be the perfect time to be the right one. 

Still, I’d end up against a wall if I didn’t at least move us. “Bed,” I said between kisses. 

“Yours or mine?”

“You choose.” It was too complicated a problem for my horny brain to grapple with, choosing between my familiar space and his, whether it would be easier for me, for him, in a space he was comfortable with. James stooped suddenly, drawing level with my chest as he placed an arm below my knees. Then I was in the air, James carrying me bridal style towards my bedroom. 

I took advantage of my free hands to continue my unbuttoning, revealing inches of bare skin obscured by James’ wifebeater. I might have made a face when I realised there was yet another layer to take off, but if James didn’t call me on it, I was going to pretend it never happened.

Then I was being placed softly onto the bed. James straightened, examining me. I looked at myself. Grey tank top, skinny jeans. Nothing special. And yet James was staring at me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world. Or a pie he desperately wanted to eat. Or both. _Breathe, Eve._

I crossed my hands and reached for the hem of my top, meaning to take it off.

“No,” James said, putting a knee on the bed. “Let me.” I was amazed to see his hands almost tremble as he reached for the hem as I sat up, raising my arms as he pulled the garment up and over my head, tossing it in a corner in the same smooth motion. I didn’t quite dare to look James in the eye as I undid the last few buttons of his own shirt. I knew I wasn’t much to look at, not compared to him. I didn’t have abs that rippled when I moved - no, my stomach was ever-so-slightly flabby despite the exercise I did. 

James moved appropriately as I drew off one sleeve, then the other. I tossed the fabric in the same general area as my top - we’d have a pile. I pulled on the thin fabric of the wife-beater, pulling it off much more quickly than James had done my tank.

My jaw dropped. It was the first time I’d had the opportunity to see James properly shirtless, not the glimpses I’d had from living together. He was all scars and muscles - a living piece of art. And his arm - I hadn’t had a chance to see his shoulder properly before, where it connected to his prosthetic. It was fascinating, and my fingers reached to touch the scar tissue there. James stopped breathing.

“Is this ok?” I murmured, stopping only an inch away from skin. “James?”

He nodded, then swallowed. “Ok, Eve.” _So he has body issues too,_ I thought in surprise. _I do love him._ I let my hand rest on his shoulder, and he exhaled sharply. I bent, slowly, closer, then kissed the scars where man and metal met. “I love you, James,” I murmured between kisses. “Just the way you are.”

I almost cringed, hearing those words come out of my mouth. They were so sappy, so ridiculous, but they fit, and I meant them. I moved from his shoulder across his collarbone, noting which scars made James gasp, which ones made him tighten his grip on my arms.Because he didn’t remain idle, half-sitting on my bed. His hands were tracing my sides and up and down my arms, leaving trails of heat in their wake.

I returned to James’ neck, kissing my way up his neck, meeting the stubble there and into his jaw, all body consciousness forgotten in the way James responded to my attentions. Suddenly, James turned his head and his lips met mine. Apparently my turn was over. His hands slid to the middle of my back, to my bra strap, and he met my eyes. I nodded in permission, and he unfastened it in one fell swoop. 

“Impressive,” I said fondly, kissing his nose as I pulled my arms out from the straps. 

“Oh.” James, the stoic warrior, was speechless. His jaw had actually dropped. 

“That bad?” I couldn’t help it. The snark slipped out without my meaning it to. _Smooth, Eve,_ I thought. _Real smooth._

“Hell no.” He reached for a breast with his real hand, caressing the outline with the back of his knuckles. I moaned, and he grinned. “Beautiful, doll.” Bolder now, he traced a nipple absently, watching it pebble, bringing his other arm up to the neglected breast. Not expecting the temperature of the metal, I hissed, and James pulled away.

“Nonono,” I said, pulling both hands back towards me. “Just cold. It’s fine. Really. More than fine.”

James looked uncertain, and I placed his hands on my breasts once again, letting him feel their weight. “I trust you.”

He made a noise at the back of his throat, then lunged to kiss me again, wrapping the metal arm around my waist to steady me. We tipped backwards until I was lying on the bed, James exploring ever downwards with his mouth. His hands worked on my zipper, pulling my jeans down and off. I tried to help as much as I could but then he suckled on a nipple and my thoughts short-circuited.

I couldn’t do anything but feel as James continued his exploration, kissing and nipping my breasts, alternating between one and the other randomly. Every touch, every sensation started to feed into the heat building in my lower abdomen, and my hands started to scrabble for purchase in the sheets. I was so lost in the feeling of James’ mouth on my body that I didn’t notice he’d started speaking at first.

“So beautiful,” he murmured between kisses. “You know that, Eve?” He leaned up to my face and gave me a quick kiss, somehow gentle despite its passion. Our eyes met as he pulled away, and he grinned. “Remember the day you yelled at Tony and Steve in just a towel?” I chuckled in response, or started to anyway. Halfway through my laugh, James kissed a spot on my breast that made me moan. I glanced down, and his grin flashed back at me. “I’m not blind,” he said. “I might have Wintered out, but all I could think that night was how you looked in that towel.” Kisses going down my belly. “How you’d look _out_ of that towel.” Hands on the edges of my knickers, pulling them off my hips. “How you’d look on a bed.” Knickers off - I was entirely naked now. “What you’d look like, legs spread,” he nudged a knee with one of his hands, and I obliged, heart thudding in anticipation. James moved even lower. “And all for me,” he said, almost wondering, hands starting from the outsides of my hips and stroking inwards, towards my neatly trimmed curls.

“All yours,” I agreed, trying not to moan again as James’ fingers traced my labia. “But seriously, you?” I went on. “After a run - in the morning getting u- ooaaah!” James’ fingers slipped into me and started moving in and out of my opening, gently, but inexorably.

My back arched and I moaned. James caught my mouth with his, swallowing the sound in a melding of tongues and teeth. His thumb found my clit and I spasmed again.

“Christ, James!” He grinned, and I pulled his face closer to mine to kiss the smile away. I felt stretched, suddenly, and knew he must have added a finger. I tried to swallow the next moan building, but lost it when James brushed my clit again. It was almost embarrassing, how quickly James was bringing me to the brink of orgasm, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. 

I moaned again, louder, when James increased his tempo, thumb brushing my clit with every entrance of his fingers. My hips bucked up, and I felt James’ grin against my skin. He’d been reacquainting himself with my breasts after his brief absence, and I lost all self-restraint when he lightly bit one nipple at the same time as his thumb found my clit and pressed. 

“Almost there,” James said, voice deeper than I’d ever heard it, and even now, I shivered hearing it. The shiver did wonderful things to the sensation of his fingers inside me, and James started to curl his fingers as he pulled them out. “So beautiful coming undone for me, doll.” He kissed my temple, an oddly chaste gesture, all things considered - I was hurtling towards bliss, almost, almost, almost -

James flicked my clit with his thumb once, twice, and I was gone, shuddering and moaning, almost clawing at his arms as he held me, still working to prolong my release. 

I came down as James kissed his way up the column of my neck. “Unnh,” I managed. _That was supposed to be a word,_ I thought. _But which one?_

“Welcome back,” James snarked, and I snorted a laugh as I ducked just far enough so he’d have to kiss me on the lips instead of the jaw.

“Hi,” I said. “You are… remarkably good at that.”

“So are you.” James was lying on his side, probably so as to not crush me, and I suddenly realised he was still half-dressed. My hands slipped to his belt and started to fiddle with the belt buckle. I was a bit surprised how easily the belt came undone, given my struggles with James’ buttons earlier. _I guess there’s something to be said for post-orgasmic bliss,_ I thought with half a smile. 

The trouser button was just as easily dispatched, but James tensed when he heard the zip go down. I glanced at his face. “Ok?” I asked softly. We could stop, if he needed to. Not that it seemed at all fair on him. He smiled faintly.

“A gorgeous woman in my bed who wants to get my pants off, and she’s asking if I’m ok?” His smile broadened into the grin I loved so much. “Definitely ok.” I hesitated, not wanting to force the issue, regardless of my suddenly very reactivated libido. He pulled my hands back to his hips again. “I want this, Eve.”

“Well, good,” I said, reaching under the waistband of his boxers and pulling them off along with the pants. Both garments ended up somewhere in the room. Not on the bed, not attached to James, and suddenly I had a very naked supersoldier in my bed. 

 _Super is definitely right, too,_ I thought as I took him in. He was all muscle, not that I had expected anything else, given the amount of time he seemed to spend training with Steve. Six feet of lickable perfection. My eyes fell to his cock, which was already fully hard and leaking precome. _Definitely super. I wonder if the serum enhanced everything - because little James? … is not small._ In fact, I was getting warm shuddery feelings just thinking about how not-little James would feel inside of me.

“Like what you see?” James asked, and my eyes flickered to his face. 

“Oh shut up,” I said, and suited action to words, kissing him quiet. It was my turn to explore now, and I took full advantage, pushing him onto his back and letting my fingers roam across his chest, cataloguing every scar, every muscle. I grinned against his abs when I found a particularly sensitive spot, a relatively untouched section of skin between ribs which had James writhing beneath me, moaning my name.

My hands, exploring uncharted territory, reached James’ cock. I wrapped a hand around him and moved upwards, twisting slightly as I reached the tip. James’ hips bucked, almost dislodging me with the violence of the movement. “Fucking hell, Eve!” he groaned. “Warn a guy, first.”

I glanced at his face - he was flushed, hair absolutely awry, pupils so far dilated I couldn’t see any iris. “Consider this your warning, then,” I said, grinning at him, meaning to return my hand. But before it reached its destination, James grabbed it. 

“Don’t need it,” he said, voice still rasping. “Want to come in you, please.” I was a little stunned at how quickly he’d devolved beneath me, but I supposed it was only fair - I’d come first after all. Pun intended. I turned his request over in my mind for a brief second. It wasn’t that I was against it, at all. I was just considering logistics. 

I rolled off of him and reached for the bedside table, fumbling for the drawer. Pulling out a condom, I opened it as I returned to James. “Shall I?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Please,” he said, not questioning the protection at all. I rolled it on him, and his hips bucked even then at the gentle contact. 

“’S been a long time,” James said, and I realised my surprise must have shown.”

“I don’t care,” I replied, reaching up to kiss him, winding my fingers in his hair as I lay on top of him, bodies touching from temple to toe. We stayed that way, arms wound about each other, kissing, breathing each other’s air, until suddenly I was on my back, James above me. Even now, he was careful not to squash me, propping himself on his metal arm so I had all the contact I could wish, but none of the weight. His gaze caught mine and held. 

“Love you,” he whispered, running fingers along my jawline. 

“Love you too,” I said, leaning up to kiss him again. He moved, and I could feel his erection nudging the inside of my opening. Ever so slowly, James slid in, allowing me time to adjust, and I needed it.

Long seconds later, he bottomed out and stopped moving entirely. I was flushed, mouth open, barely breathing. I felt so _full._ It was wonderful, and yet - 

“Move,” I breathed, and James pulled out slightly before sliding back home. We both moaned, and James moved again. He started slow, moving only an inch or two at a time. But quickly he had built up a rhythm, pushing in and out of me. I tilted my hips in time with his, my hands on his back, or in his hair, losing myself in sensation. Nothing had ever felt like this before. 

“Eve - I -“ he gasped in my ear.

“Me too,” I breathed back, catching his lips for a messy kiss. He shifted slightly, and I moaned as the angle changed, James finding my sweet spot. I was close to coming again - I hadn’t expected it, hadn’t hoped, and yet, there was the cliff, drawing ever closer. James’ rhythm, so steady before, started to get erratic, and I realised he was close too. 

“Love you, James,” I gasped around my moans, and suddenly he groaned my name, burying his head into the crook of my neck as he came.

His release triggered my own, and I flew off the edge for the second time that night, calling out for James, vision actually greying out for a second or two. He kept moving even as his orgasm ebbed, prolonging mine until oversensitivity started to kick in. Then he turned us, settling me on top of him, his arms around me, drawing lazy patterns up and down my back. 

“Hi,” James said when I came back to myself and turned my head, now resting on his chest, so I could see his face. I reached up and stroked his jaw.

“Hi,” I replied, suddenly sleepy. _Two orgasms in a session really takes it out of a girl,_ I thought smugly. 

“Just a sec.” He separated from me and scooted off the bed. I was disappointed for a second, then realised he was headed to the bathroom. I was half-asleep when he returned with a wet washcloth, with which he proceeded to clean me up.

He didn’t return to the bed, though, standing at the bedside, looking awkward. I was too tired and happy to parse exactly why he was hesitating, so I just patted the spot behind me. “Come over here, Barnes. If you want to.”

He shook his head, grinned suddenly, and climbed back into bed, wrapping arms around me as I used him as a pillow. “I still can’t believe you’re mine,” he murmured, and I could hear the words rumbling in his chest.

“I am yours,” I said, smiling lazily, feeling like nothing so much as the cat who had gotten the cream. “And the feeling is entirely mutual, love.” I tried to keep my eyes open, but they kept fluttering shut for longer and longer periods of time. The last thing I remembered before finally succumbing to sleep was James’ lips in my hair.

“You’re my home, too.”

 

 


	61. Chapter 61

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this has taken so long for me to update!!!  
> Life has been absolutely crazy, and I've been meaning to write, but it never ended up happening. But I have 10 days off, so I should get some major writing done now.
> 
> Here's a short chapter to tide you over, and shenanigans commence once again tomorrow.  
> As always, thanks for reading/commenting/kudo-ing, you are all made of awesome!

I didn’t wake up to an alarm. Instead, I woke up to sunlight streaming onto my face, I turned automatically, searching for my pillow to bury into - to get another few minutes of rest before my alarm went off.

But my head wasn’t on a pillow. My eyes opened slowly, and I saw James looking back at me.

“Morning, sunshine,” he said. I buried my head into his chest, smiling like a lunatic. _So glad last night wasn’t a dream,_ I thought, absentmindedly kissing his chest. _And this morning…_ I’d woken up sometime during the early morning to James’ lips on my shoulder blade, and, well, one thing had led to another, and it had been a while before either of us got back to sleep again.

“Hi,” I said, looking back up at him. Then I remembered exactly what had happened yesterday, where we were, and reality sunk in, the little bubble of Paradise James and I had created bursting suddenly. 

James just raised an eyebrow at me. 

“Just remembered yesterday,” I said, kissing him on the cheek before rolling out of bed. _Time to get back to work._ I glanced at the clock. 8:32. _Great. I’ll have to hurry to get ready on time._ I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to leave this safe haven of ours. But running from reality didn’t make it any less real. And if anyone understood the phrase ‘duty calls’, it would be Steve Rogers’ best friend.

“Your phone’s in the other room,” James commented drily when I started searching the nightstand. That got him another kiss, this one lingering. I wanted nothing more than to jump back into bed. Go back for round three. But sadly, that wasn’t an option. “Thanks, love.” 

“Eve?” the disembodied voice was JARVIS, greeting me when I left the bedroom.

“Good morning, J,” I said. “What’s the damage?”

“Miss Potts told me to tell you that Yves wishes to have a meeting with you and her, in her capacity as the head of Stark Industries. She arranged lunch.”

“Great.” I hadn’t told Yves about being a Stark either. I wondered how he’d react. 

“She also asked me to inform you that the media response has been favourable. However, she would like you and Sargent Barnes to join her and Sir for breakfast, as soon as you are able.”

“Got it,” I said, finding my phone about a yard from the door, lying face down on the carpet. _Guess we got a little distracted last night,_ I thought with a smile. 

I was checking just how many new emails I’d received overnight (138), and trying to prioritise them so I didn’t feel quite so overwhelmed when I felt arms wrap around my waist.

“You really aren’t dressed for work,” James commented, lips moving gently over one of the hickeys he’d left yesterday. I gasped at the contact, not able to pull away from his attentions, but not really minding.

“I’m not dressed at all,” I said, turning instead to twine my hands around his neck - my robe was still at home, and pyjamas would definitely have been in the way last night.

“I noticed,” he chuckled. He, however, was dressed. Slacks, belt, and shirt. All in the time it took me to find my phone. 

“Hey, Superman,” I joked, running a finger down the line of buttons on his shirt. “Care to share your phone box?”

“Sorry, hon’,” he said, kissing me on the temple and moving into the kitchen. “40’s men only.” I stuck my tongue out at him, but he just grinned. “Grab a shower. I’ll have breakfast ready when you’re done.”

“We can’t,” I said, smile dropping from my face. “Tony and Pepper want to meet for breakfast.”

“Ok.” His face suddenly blanked, and I flashed back to last night, when he hadn’t climbed back into bed right away.

“Oh.” He’d Wintered. Or almost Wintered. And I’d been too sleepy to notice. _Bad girlfriend. Bad!_ I chastised myself, and walked to him, slowly. By the time I’d reached him, though, he was blinking it off. He saw me near and grabbed me, pulling my close and burying his face in my hair. I just held him as his ragged breathing smoothed out and his grip on me eased. I though I might actually get a bruise this time, from his hand on my upper arm - not the metal one, that one had governors he used religiously. No the flesh and blood version.

“You know what?” I asked conversationally, when James seemed to be back to normal. “Let’s have breakfast just the two of us. Tony and Pepper will just have to wait.”

James kissed the top of my forehead. “You are the perfect woman.” I blushed.

“I’m not. But remember that when you next get annoyed with me.” I patted his metal arm, the one that was still on my shoulder. “Would you mind getting the coffee started? I want to grab a shower and get dressed.” He nodded, smiling faintly and moving towards the kitchen.

“J?” I asked, stalking back to the bedroom. “Tell Tony and Pepper they should have breakfast without us - we need a bit this morning.”

“Yes, Eve.” The AI went silent for a minute, then Tony’s voice came over the speakers.

“Hey, kiddo - everything ok?” 

“Fine, Tony,” I said. _How do you say ‘My boyfriend and I had sex and we’d love to have breakfast alone, please, Dad?’_ “It’s just…”

I heard Pepper in the background, and Tony coughed. “Ahem. Well.” Pepper must have guessed. “Have a good breakfast. But bring Barnes with you after you’re done, please. We have stuff we need to talk to.”

“Got it. Love you, Pops.”

“Love you too, Eve.”

 


	62. Chapter 62

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and a meeting

I was so caught up in my thoughts when I emerged into the kitchen that I didn’t notice the cup of coffee James was holding until it was literally under my nose. I inhaled, closed my eyes, and smiled.

“Barnes, I swear, you are a god among men.”

“That’s not what you said… Actually, that’s exactly what you said last night,” James joked, brushing off the compliment as he handed over the mug.

“Mmm.” I took my first sip. “I’m a lucky girl, what can I say?” I put down the coffee and put an arm around his waist, peering at what he was cooking. “French toast?”

“Yup.” He shoved me with a hip. “Now scoot and drink your coffee - I need to flip these.”

“Aye, aye,” I said, grabbing the coffee and parking myself at the kitchen island. I sipped coffee as I continued to worry. Why had James Wintered out? He’d been completely in control during our trek through the city, after all.

“Eat.” A plate appeared in front of me. “What’s up?”

“Hm?” James slid his own plate next to mine and moved around the island.

“What’s going on? I can almost hear you thinking.”

I shook my head to clear it. “Oh, just worrying.”

“About?”

I took a bite of toast. “Yum! This is amazing.”

“Thank you. About?”

He wasn’t letting it go. “You Wintered. I’m sorry, I worry.”

“You shouldn’t worry about me.” I glanced over, where James was concentrating rather hard on his own plate.

I covered his hand with one of mine. “Kind of my job, love. I don’t mind.” I tried to change the subject. “I’m looking forward to spending the day with you, though,” I said as brightly as I could. If he didn’t want to talk about it, I wasn’t going to push it.

“I want to protect you.”

 _What?_ Then I realised. _This is him explaining._

“I want to protect you. From everything.” He stabbed at the french toast. “And I can’t.” I slipped off my stool so I could hug him properly. I felt like I was back at the beginning, where I wasn’t sure what to say - what was the right thing here?

I breathed in the scent of our laundry soap, then went for it. “I love that you want to protect me. I really do. But some things you can’t see coming. And you were there yesterday, on our spy walk, and in that meeting - I couldn’t have asked for any more. As far as I’m concerned, you were perfect yesterday.” I kissed his shoulder. “And besides, James. I love you.” James swivelled in his seat, holding me for a long minute before pressing a kiss into my hair.

“I just don’t want to lose you.” I hugged him tighter.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” It could have sounded angry, or cold. It just sounded sad.

“I’ll rephrase. If it’s up to me at all, I’m not going anywhere. Better?” His arms tightened. 

“Better.” He sighed. “Love you, Eve.”

“Love you too, James.”

“Now eat your breakfast.”

“Aye, aye, Sargent.”

 

 

“Have a good night?” Tony asked as James and I entered Pepper’s office. I rolled my eyes at him. 

“We slept fine, thank you,” I said aloud. Pepper just smiled. _That was less awkward than it could have been,_ I thought. _Thank heavens for small mercies._ “So, what’s up?”

“JARVIS told you that Yves wants to meet?” Pepper asked, and I nodded. _That’s going to be a fun conversation. ‘So, Eve, why didn’t you tell us something that will effect your work and our reputation?’ ‘Because I like having a private life?’ I don’t think that’s going to be a good enough reason, somehow._

“And we need to formalise Barnes’ duties.” Tony said that. James had sat down next to Tony on the comfortable seats overlooking the Park view. 

“And the lawyers want to talk to you about changing your name.”

“Again?” I sighed. “I thought I made my position fairly clear.”

“Apparently they don’t understand ‘I don’t want to dishonor the man who raised me, who also happens to be dead,’” Tony said. “Not that I wouldn’t love for you to be a Stark in reality. But I get it.” He sighed, and I went over and put my arms around his shoulders.

“I am a Stark,” I said. “And you are the absolute best, by the way, for understanding.”

“Of course I am,” Tony snarked. “I’m Tony Stark. Billionaire, philanthropist, world’s best absentee dad.”

“World’s best dad,” I corrected. “Ever since you found out.” I turned to Pepper. “So what’s this about formalising James’ duties?”

Tony turned to James. “I’d consider it a personal favour if you would become Eve’s head of security. I know it was all a little ad hoc yesterday, but since I can’t be there all the time, there’s no one else I trust with her as much as you.”

 _So I’m an inanimate object, am I?_ I snarked in the privacy of my own head. As much as I didn’t like the fact that Tony was talking about me like I was made of glass, I knew it was important, to them both. So I kept my mouth shut.

“Head of security?” James asked.

“You’d be in charge of selecting people to guard Eve, as well as putting any security procedures in place you see fit - I can give you Happy’s number, if you want to consult with him - and of course, you could put in as much time as you wanted guarding her personally. And you could still be part of the Avengers as well. No one’s asking you to give that up.” Pepper picked up a sheaf of paper from her desk and handed it to James. “Here’s the contract from SI, as well as a few names. If you’re interested, of course.”

James opened the manila folder, scanned the page, then looked up. “You sure about this? That’s a lot of money.”

“It’s market rate,” Tony said without batting an eye. I wondered in spite of myself, how much money a top-rate bodyguard could ask. Probably a lot. Not that I begrudged James any of it. And I was rapidly coming to realise that coming out as Tony’s daughter made me a target for a whole bunch of nasties. Tony would insist on some kind of detail, what with his and Pepper’s prior experiences. And if I had to have a bodyguard, I might as well have one whose company I enjoyed. 

“Can I have time to think?” James asked. “I’m not going to leave you in the lurch - I’ll guard Eve anyway, but I need some time.”

“Of course,” Pepper said smoothly. “Take the folder - we’d like an answer by the end of the week, but there’s no immediate hurry.”

 _Don’t I get some say in this?_ I wondered absently. Then I caught James’ eye. He smiled when I met his gaze. _Maybe I can talk with James a bit before he makes his decision. Not that I want to influence him one way or the other, but this might… complicate things._

“Now,” Pepper said, returning her attention to me. “Do you have any idea what your boss wants to discuss?”

“Other than the fact I’ve been keeping pertinent information from him?” I asked, reengaging my brain and getting back to business. 


	63. Chapter 63

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a little short - more tomorrow, promise!

“Why isn’t Otto here?” I murmured to Yves as Pepper bowed out of the meeting. It had been less painful than I’d feared - Yves had understood, or claimed to understand, anyway, my point of view in keeping the news quiet, and we were on the same page as to what impact it would have on my work. Hopefully none, although neither of us were quite sanguine about keeping my work and my new-found celebrity separate.

That reality, the fact that I could well be a celebrity now, had been forced home on me when Pepper and I had made our way to Carnegie Hall. Reporters and paparazzi had been waiting for us at the entrance, and even James’ best stern stares and those of the other two suited bodyguards had done only so much in making sure they kept their distance. I was still hoping for the media’s interest to die down soon, but based on Pepper’s reaction, I thought it might be a forlorn hope. 

Yves frowned at my question, and I wondered why. It wasn’t like it would have been strange for Otto to be invited to the meeting - after all, I did almost as much work for the Met as I did for the Phil. “He’s … I think he was busy today.” _A lie. Interesting._ I studied Yves’ expression. He met my gaze, but looked a little uncertain. I decided to let Yves have his lie, for now.

“You’ll tell him everything we discussed?”

“Of course.” Yves smiled in relief. I hoped he didn’t think I bought his excuse - I wasn’t that stupid. He pushed up his sleeve and glanced at his watch. “I’d better be going - donor meeting in a few minutes, and I want to look over my notes.”

“Thanks, Yves,” I said, glancing at the watch myself. “Actually, I’d best be going too - rehearsal.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Barnes,” Yves said, holding out his hand for James to shake. 

“Likewise,” James said, shaking the proffered hand, and Yves left. “Who’s Otto?” _So James caught Yves as well._ I couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to have someone who was on the same wavelength as I was.

“He’s Yves’ counterpart at the Metropolitan Opera. I thought he would have been here.” _And you and I both know Yves dodged the question about why he wasn’t._ Some things were best not spoken of at all. At least, not in public.

“I see.” I reached for my violin case, which as usual was lying next to my chair.

“Coming to rehearsal?” I asked. I had about ten minutes to get myself to the rehearsal room - I was rehearsing for a string quartet concert later in the week. I’d played all the pieces before, but with my old group in London, so of course it felt like I was treading water, playing with my new group, a violinist and a cellist from the Philharmonic, and a violist from the Met.

“Of course.”James opened the door and glanced into the corridor before waving me through. “You’ll have to take me on the guided tour of the place,” he commented as we walked. “I’ve seen secret bases that are less complicated.”

“Backstages aren’t meant to make sense,” I grinned as I opened a door. About to head through, I was stopped by James’ arm as he again checked the corridor before I was allowed to enter. _That is going to get annoying. Fast._ “And besides, there’s this great big stage in the middle of the building, so all the corridors get routed around it.”

“Mm. This rehearsal - it’s for the thing next week, right?” 

I nodded, somewhat surprised James had managed to keep track of me so easily. I had issues knowing where I was supposed to be when most of the time - it was why I was so reliant on my phone. “Yup. We’re playing Death, some Mozart and Mendelssohn.”

“Death?”

“Schubert “Death and the Maiden”,” I said translating my musician-speak. “It’s based on a lied Schubert wrote - hence the name. But Death is quicker to say.”

“Sounds cheerful.”

“A fun-filled romp for children of all ages,” I agreed with a grin. “I love it, though. The more drama the better, at least in my music.” 

 


	64. Chapter 64

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rehearsal with a bodyguard

“You’re still rushing that,” Paul told Ellen. 

“Which?”

“The eighth notes before C,” he said. “I’ve got the sixteenths there.”

“Huh,” the cellist said, making a note in her music. “I thought I was dragging.”

“Nope.” Carter adjusted her chinrest. “I felt it too. Definitely rushing. Sorry Paul.”

“Another run? Beginning to the double bar?” I suggested. We were almost to the end of our rehearsal time, but we’d made some progress, I thought. It was starting to sound like Schubert. Finally. 

“Ok,” Paul said, flipping back a few pages and putting the mute back on his viola. “We’re getting a page turner for the concert, right?”

“Right,” I confirmed. “We’ll take care of you, Paul, don’t worry.” He chuckled, flipping his mop of curly brown hair backwards away from his eyes. 

“Never doubted it.” My violin went up to my shoulder, and I glanced at Paul, Carter, and Ellen, making sure they were all ready. Both met my eyes, so I started the metronome in my head, breathed, and played. 

 

“Who’s the new guy?” Ellen asked as we were packing up. 

I glanced at James, who had positioned just outside the door of the rehearsal room. After making sure there weren’t any rabid raccoons ready to take me out. The whole ‘having a bodyguard’ thing was getting old. Fast.

“That’s James.”

“Bodyguard?”

“Boyfriend,” I corrected. “Tony asked if he’d watch me until I get my final security detail set.” It was true, as far as it went. And the day I prioritised James’ bodyguarding over his boyfriending was the day I deserved to lose him.

“Lucky girl,” she commented, looking him over, cutting a dashing figure as always in his suit. James, who must have overheard, grinned slightly.

I smiled back. “Don’t I know it.”

“How does it feel, to be the heir apparent to Stark Industries?” Ellen asked. I kept quiet for a minute. I had to be very careful how I answered this one - not that I expected Ellen to leak anything I said to the press, but still - word traveled fast.

“I’m not,” I said at last. “Heir apparent, anyway. I am Tony’s daughter, but that’s all I am. Besides. Pepper runs the company, not Tony.”

“Sure.” She didn’t believe me. _That’s just too bad, sweetie,_ I thought a bit viciously. _Not everyone is a money-grubber. So sorry to break it to you._ “Looks like your boy is coming over.” James had nodded to Paul as Paul left, then began walking over.

“Man, dear,” I said, the comment coming out more complacent than snarky. “Definitely man.” Ellen shot me a glance, and I just smiled at her.

“Ready to go?” James asked, nodding politely at Ellen. 

“Yup,” I replied, adjusting the backpack straps of my violin straps and leaning down for my bag. 

“See you tomorrow?” Ellen said, heading out the door herself.

“10 am,” I agreed. “Bright and early.”

“See ya.” The door closed behind her bright red cello case.

“So where are we headed?” I asked. “Can we go home?”

James’ arm slipped around my shoulders for a brief one-armed hug. “We can - Clint and Talia have been making sure our place is safe.” I sagged against him in relief. 

“Oh good. It’ll be nice to be home.” 

“So we’re skipping movie night?” I wanted to facepalm. Of course it was movie night.

“We can go if you want,” I said, trying to be the bigger person. Then I had a rather more devilish thought. “Although I think we might find something more interesting to do at home.” I breathed it in his ear, feeling half-ridiculous in my attempt to be sexy.

It worked though. James’ arm tightened around me, and I half-heard the noise he made low in his throat. “Promises promises,” he said, voice rumbling. 

“A Stark always pays her debts,” I said. “Home?”

“Home.”

 

 

Another change awaited me as James whisked us through backstage. Apparently he’d had a chance to memorise the layout of the building during our rehearsal. We exited through the service elevator, where an SUV was waiting. James nodded at the driver, then opened my door for me. _Oh, we’re so talking about this soon,_ I thought. _I refuse to act like I’m hiding. But I’ll let him have his fun for today._

“The apartment, please,” James told the driver, another man in sunglasses and a black suit. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“So you’ve decided to take the job?” I asked quietly. James nodded. 

“I need you safe, Eve. And Tony was right. No one’s better at getting past security than I am, so I’m the logical person to put security in place for you.” He glanced at the driver and his companion, another suited and sunglassed man. “And this way I’m sure it’s done right.”

 _Uh oh. Danger, Will Robinson. Danger._ I could see a life of travel in SUVs, nameless men in suits, and choreographing every move stretching ahead of me. We definitely had to talk. Stat. Sexy times would have to wait. Damn it

“Ok,” was all I managed. _But we are talking about this when we get home, Mister._ James raised his eyebrows at me and my monosyllabic response. “Later,” I said. “What are we going to do for dinner?”

“Pizza?” His face lit up.

“What are you, twelve?” I asked with a chuckle. 

“You made the extra dough last week, remember? I know, I put it in the freezer.”

“Which means we’ll have to wait for it to thaw before we can use it,” I reminded him.

“Actually…” 

“You asked the Dynamic Duo to get it out to defrost, didn’t you?” I shook my head. “Pizza it is.”

“You’re the best.” He leaned over to give me a kiss, the first proper one we’d had since getting to Carnegie Hall that morning. I’d missed it.

“I’m easily manipulated,” I conceded when we parted. “But since it’s you, I guess it’s ok.” I threaded my fingers through his. 

“Excited for the concert?” he asked, looking out the window. I could tell his attention wasn’t all on me - his eyes flickered between the driver and the view out the window. 

“I think it should be good,” I replied, fingering the hem of my shirt. “I can’t believe the hall’s sold out.”

“Security nightmare,” he said. “Too many exits and entrances.”

I started gnawing on my bottom lip to stop myself from making a snarky comment. I couldn’t wait until we got home. Any more of this security nonsense and I was going to end up yelling at James. Or the driver. Or Tony. And who knew what would happen then.

_I don’t want to lose you, James Barnes._

 


	65. Chapter 65

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eve and James hash things out. Mostly.

“So what was it you wanted to talk about?” James was lounging at the kitchen island, and I was mauling the pizza dough in preparation for rolling it out and spreading toppings on. I was thinking cheese. Lots and lots of cheese.

 _I don’t want to do this now,_ I thought. _But I guess it has to be done. And sooner rather than later. Woman up, Eve._ “About you guarding me, and my security in general,” I said finally, giving the dough one last punch for good measure. I didn’t dare look at James.

“Oh?”

I looked up, meeting his eyes carefully. “I understand the need for security, I really do. And I love that you want to protect me. But I think our ideas of what ‘protecting me’ means are different. And now you’ve taken the SI job it’s going to be more complicated, and I don’t begrudge you taking the job, but it’s all so complicated, and I know you only want what’s best, but I don’t want to give up my life either, and I don’t want us to fall apart over this!” I was staring at the dough again, my hands squeezed into it as if I could act out all of my frustrations on the ball of flour, yeast, and water. I only realised I had tears in my eyes when I closed them and I felt a drop hit my hand.

Two hands, one metal, one human, came behind my elbows and guided me to the living room and the couch. I curled into James’ chest and cried, feeling weak for doing so, but not able to keep my rioting emotions under control any more. None too soon, my tears dried up, and I was fighting the incipient “I just cried” headache. James had cradled me to him, stroking my hair with one hand. 

I tightened my arms, which had laced themselves around James’ waist, and turned my head so I could press a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks,” I murmured. “Love you.”

“I love you too, Eve Bates,” James said, shifting me in his lap so our faces were more or less level. “Now, mind telling me all that again?”

“You sound like a pshrink,” I said, bopping him on the nose with a finger. “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Sam.”

He just shook his head gently. “Maybe.” 

“Ok.” I tried to organise my thoughts - they were more snarled than usual. “I guess I have two real issues. One, I don’t know how much of this security stuff I want, or even need. Two, I definitely don’t want any problems I do have with the security, or you being my bodyguard, to change us - what we have. Does that make sense?”

“I think so. Keep going?” I didn’t think I’d said anything bad so far, yet I still felt like I was walking on a tightrope - any false word and I’d fall off into the void.

“So the first thing - I don’t really know, but I find it hard to believe that anyone’s going to hurt me just because I’m a Stark.”

“As far as that goes,” James said, and I saved my next thought for later.

“Yeah?”

“Remember the file Pepper gave me?” I nodded. “It was filled with the threats Tony’s security has been dealing with - for Tony and Pepper.” He grimaced. “It adds up to one attempt to do something to Pepper at least once a month, either kidnap or injury, and one every three months for Tony. I think the differential is just because they’re not factoring in the Avengers missions. And Tony’s a harder target.” He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “They think, and I agree, that you’re going to be on the list right along with Pepper as a high-value, low-security target. They just want to keep you safe.” I closed my eyes. I had no idea it was so bad for Aunt Pepper. No wonder she looked so stressed.

“Can I see those files, when you get a minute?” I asked. “Not that I don’t believe you, but I think I need to see it, to make it sink in.”

“If you think you should,” James said, a bit unwillingly.

“I can handle it,” I said. “Maybe it’ll make my next objection a bit easier to take.” He nodded. “I don’t really know how to explain this one, but I’ll try. I’ve always been able to do what I want, when I want. You know, within reason. I can go out and run by myself, grab coffee, open doors, hang around, make my own schedule. It’s part of why I like being a musician. I can be as regimented or as free-wheeling as I want. But if everything’s like it was today - which, as far as I know, could just be a special circumstance - I don’t get any breathing room. 

“I get driven around, I don’t get to walk anywhere with just you. I have someone with me at all times. You even checked the corridors in Carnegie Hall, for chrissakes. And I know I might be overreacting, but I can’t help but think - is this what I have to look forward to, as Tony’s daughter? Will I lose a lot of my freedom?” I glanced into his eyes as I finished speaking, seeing the worry and sadness there. I smoothed the worry lines on his forehead, wanting to erase them entirely. “It’s not your fault, love. I know that.”

He forced a smile, but it didn’t look cheerful. “I wished, today, that I could just wrap you up in cotton wool. That I could just keep you in some safe place, where I wouldn’t have to worry. You don’t realise just how unsecure you’ve been living, sweetheart.” He sighed. “To a certain extent, it doesn’t matter what I, or anyone else, does. If someone really wants to hurt you, sooner or later, they will. But we can do a lot to keep you safer.” He tightened his grip on me briefly, as if assuring himself that I was still there, still in one piece. “And yes, you’ll feel a lot more restricted, at first. I don’t think there’s any way around that.”

I nodded. It made sense. Damn it. James was still talking, though.

“We might have overdone it, at least today.” I smiled faintly. “You probably don’t need to take the SUV everywhere. Although you might not want to walk everywhere like you usually do.”

“More cardio for me, then,” I joked.

“And no running without Sam or someone from the security detail.”

“Steve?” My snark was the rock I clung to - the way I tried to show that I was ok with it, or that I would try to be.

James raised an eyebrow at me and grinned. “Yes. Running with Steve would be fine too.”

“I’d have to sprint to keep up with the big lug,” I grumbled. “I don’t think he’s seen the far side of a seven minute mile since he had the serum.”

“Probably not.” James’ smile dropped. “About me being your head of security…”

“Yes?” He’d started to talk, but then stopped, abruptly. He’d Wintered. “James?” I asked softly, bringing a hand up to his jawline. He blinked twice, then shook his head. He pulled me close, burying his head in the crook of my shoulder. I just held him, as best as I could, pressing kisses into his hair every now and again. 

“And that’s another part of the reason it’s a very bad idea for me to be involved in the day-to-day,” he said, sitting upright once again. “I think about you getting hurt, or not being there anymore, and I freeze. Not exactly the best quality in a bodyguard.”

“But an excellent quality in a boyfriend,” I said, unperturbed. “If you had to face it, you could.”

“You have such faith in me,” he murmured, obviously touched.

“It’s my job,” I said, trying to make it a joke, trying to lighten the mood. “Isn’t it?”

“Do you really have a problem with me protecting you?” he asked finally. I bit my bottom lip. 

“I think… I’d have a problem with it if it started to mess with us, or if you started thinking only about what would keep me safe as opposed to what I would want.” I looked squarely into his eyes. _So blue. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it._ “But I don’t think you will. And if you want to take the job, I’m behind you. ‘Till the end of the line.”

I was suddenly being thoroughly kissed. James’ hand was in my hair, moving my head to the correct angle, and I was pretty certain I made some kind of noise when he nibbled my bottom lip. Not that I ever really knew, because I was just as focused as he was on the feeling of our bodies intertwined, lips fused, chests crashing together as I pulled myself closer to him.

When I came up for air, I was underneath him on the couch, head supported by the arm of the chair, James above me.

“Was this a fight?” James asked. I had to think a minute, to provide some kind of logical answer that wasn’t “get your lips back over here, Mister”. 

“I guess.” My brain finally made the connection, and I grinned at the mischief in his face. “Are you saying we should have makeup sex?”

“If you insist,” he snarked, and before I could come up with a reply, his lips crashed down over mine again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was that? Did I just? Yeah, sorry. Smuthanger...


	66. Chapter 66

_If this is the kind of makeup sex I get for a mini-not quite-fight, I’m certainly not complaining,_ I managed to think as James’ lips migrated from my mine down my jaw. His hands worked to free my top from my skirt, then worked on its buttons. As I levered myself up to help James get the damn thing off, he stopped.

“Problem?” I asked, half-wondering if James was about to Winter out on me again.

He looked around, looked back to me, then shook his head. “Your bedroom?”

I nodded, and I was scooped up and carried. “I could walk you know,” I said, not really complaining. After all, if I didn’t have to concentrate on where I was going, I could concentrate on James’ buttons. James just chuckled and turned to push open the door. 

I had the presence of mind to be thankful I kept my room half-tidy as James deposited me on the bed. He followed afterwards, caging me between his arms. For a moment, we just stared at each other. 

I reached up, and James bent down and suddenly our lips were locked together once more, hands scrabbling at clothes. I rolled, trying to get my blouse off, straddling James’ hips. His hands were at my back, unclasping my bra. I pulled it off, tossing it somewhere or other.  Suddenly I was on my back again, James’ mouth and hands at my breasts. _He certainly is… enthusiastic,_ I managed to think through the sensations shooting through me. _A girl could get used to this._

Then I was alone on the bed. I scrambled onto my elbows, searching for James. He was stood with his back next to the door to my bedroom. Another knock sounded at the door. I glanced at the clock on my desk. 7:50. Too late for delivery people. And we weren’t expecting anyone. 

Another knock, and a voice. I couldn’t hear it, but I was prepared to bet James could. 

“Mrs. Peters,” he said, and I could see him relax a fraction. 

“Well, let’s see what she wants,” I said, moving to get off the bed and search for a robe. 

“No.” It was an order, not a suggestion, and my eyes flew back to James, who was watching me, eyes apologetic. “Sorry, Eve. I’ll go see what’s going on. But I need you to grab your phone and a wallet and grab clothes. If something happens, I want you out the fire escape and hitting the panic button.” I closed my eyes. _He’s the expert,_ I reminded myself firmly. _He knows what he’s doing._

“We shouldn’t have come back until the panic room was installed,” James muttered.

“Panic room?” That was the first I’d heard of it.

“I was going to convert my room,” James replied, grabbing my bra from the desk chair on which it hung and holding it out to me.

 _Another thing to discuss later,_ I thought. “I’m not happy about leaving you,” I said instead, taking the proffered undergarment and putting it back on. Another knock.

“Coming,” James called, startling me. “Just a minute.” He kissed me quickly. “I can take care of myself better than you can, remember?” 

I nodded. He had a point. “Just get back to me safe.”

“If I yell, get out and call Talia. Head to the Tower.” I nodded again, getting off the bed to grab my top. James stalked out of the room, and I followed, putting one arm through my top. 

By the time I had shoes on and my phone in hand, James was back. I could see the knife sheath in the small of his back, and he’d slipped his blazer on. I knew that concealed a host of weapons too - a few knives, a small gun, and a Taser. And those were the weapons I knew he’d grabbed. _He really is a dangerous person,_ I realised. It probably should have made me afraid. Instead, I got warm fuzzies. It was nice to know James could take care of himself. He glanced at me, eyes almost clinical, making sure I was ready. I nodded.

“Love you,” I said. 

“You too.” He went to the door, looking through the eyecheat. I knew he’d looked at the security footage before, but this was ostensibly normal behaviour. I kept out of sight, near the window to the fire escape, but I was close enough that I could see what was going on. My heart was beating a mile a minute, but my head was clear. I could hardly believe Mrs. Peters was still at the door - we’d taken a good few minutes to get ourselves ready.

But had I bet on her going back to her apartment, I would have been wrong. 

“Hello, dear,” she said, greeting James. 

“Hi Mrs. P,” he said. I was sure he was flashing her his best charming grin, all while looking out the corridor for threats.

“I’m sorry to bother you two so late,” she continued. Mrs. Peters did sound like your stereotypical granny, I thought absently. “I hope I’m not interrupting?”

“We’re never too busy for you, Mrs. P,” James said. _Good old Brooklyn manners,_ I thought with a grin. 

“No need to flatter an old lady,” she replied, and I could almost see her looking James up and down, taking in the half-tucked shirt and the messy hair. “Do say hi to Eve for me.”

“I will,” James said, and I heard the tension in his voice, although I wondered whether anyone else would be able to tell. _Steve probably could,_ I thought. _Maybe Natasha. But I’m not sure about anyone else._

“Poor dear,” Mrs. Peters continued, blissfully unaware. “She must feel completely overwhelmed. It was a madhouse this morning - did you know I almost didn’t make it to my bridge game?”

“That’s awful,” James sympathised. _James Barnes,_ the snarky side of me commented fondly. _Supersoldier, assassin, and all-around 40s gentleman and old lady killer._ “Now, Mrs. P - was there something you needed? I kind of want to get back to Eve - like you said, she’s had a rough day.”

“Oh, of course!” Mrs. Peters said, and I heard paper rustling. “Someone left this in front of my front door by mistake,” she said. “But it has your and Eve’s names on it.”

“Thanks,” James said. _We weren’t expecting any packages…_ “I appreciate you bringing it over.”

“Anytime, dear.” I could hear the change in her tone, so I wasn’t surprised when she continued. “And do tell Eve hello for me - if you remember.” The last comment was obviously said with a devilish grin.

“I’ll tell her,” James promised. “Thanks again, Mrs. P.”

“Good night, dear.”

“Good night.” The door shut, and James reset the security. His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of a pocket. “Yeah, neighbour.” Pause. “No, she was alone.” Another pause. “I’ll take a look.” Pause, snort. “Of course I’ll be careful.” Pause. Slight smile. “Thanks, Clint. You too.” He shut the phone off. 

“Well that was interesting,” I said, pulse finally calming down, hammering in my ears as it slowed. James had a padded manila envelope in his metal hand. I came closer, but James held up a hand.

“Wait a sec, Eve, please?” I nodded and stood where I was. He examined the envelope carefully, turning it over in both hands before bringing it to his nose and sniffing. “No explosives I recognise,” he said finally. “Just paper.” He put the envelope down on the counter and crossed the distance between us in a few steps, almost crushing me to his chest. 

I could hear his heart hammering in his chest almost as fast as mine had been beating moments earlier, and his breathing was a little faster than normal. We held each other until our pulses calmed all the way. From the way my shoulder was aching where James gripped it, I thought I might get a bruise, but I honestly didn’t care. He was holding on to me like I was about to run away, about to disappear, and I had absolutely no inclination to go anywhere.

“I think we need a procedure for this type of thing,” I said calmly a while later. James let me go and I winced when the absence of pressure caused my shoulder to throb. I thought I’d hidden it, but he must have seen my expression.

“What?” 

“Nothing,” I said, shrugging. It didn’t matter.

“Eve.” He stroked the shoulder, and I winced again when his fingers brushed the impending bruise. _Damn it._ He undid a few buttons and pulled the blouse off my shoulder, exposing my upper arm to the open air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if this isn't what you expected - I couldn't make the smut work, and it didn't quite fit with the story arc.  
> Thanks as ever for reading and bearing with me!


	67. Chapter 67

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James ... reacts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? What is the world coming to??
> 
> Hope you all enjoy.

I looked down.

There were two red lines on my arm where he’d pulled me close. “It’s not a big deal,” I said, pulling the shirt up again. Or trying to. James stopped me with a hand to my arm, gently, but implacably.

“I did that?” he whispered. His flesh and blood finger traced around the red marks. Well, it tried. I was a bit stunned to realise James’ hands, normally as steady as rock, were shaking.

“It’s fine, James. Really.” I tried to pull the blouse up again, and this time he let me. With the bruise now covering the offending bruise, I put a hand under James’ chin and turned his face to mine. His eyes were almost grey now, and filled with guilt and self-loathing. 

“You listen to me, James Barnes,” I told him sternly. “You did not mean to hurt me.”

“But I did anyway.” 

“I know.” I stepped closer, and he backed up. “I don’t care, James.” My voice, normally calm, started to rise. “All you’ve done today is try and protect me. And you have. That bruise is there because you were holding me tight. Do you really think I care? It’s just a bruise.”

“That’s twice now,” James said, and his voice was dead. He moved his chin, and my hand dropped, seemingly of its own volition. 

Panic started to form in the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t reaching him. I didn’t care - the bruise would heal. It was nothing. 

“I think I’m going to go back to the Tower,” James said. My heart stopped. 

“The Tower?”

“I have work I should probably get sorted out before tomorrow,” he said. His voice was cold and clinical, but the look in his eye wasn’t. He looked as haunted as I’d ever seen him, and I didn’t know what to do.

“I trust you, James,” I said, at a loss what else to say. “Are you sure?” sounded too much like checking up on him. “What about dinner?” would have the same effect. “Please stay” might work, but I couldn’t force the words out of my mouth.

James let out a breath. _Courage, Eve,_ I told myself.

“I - what I -“ I stopped, took a breath, and started again. “Would you be able to do the work here?”

He looked at me. “You’ll be safe here,” he said finally. “I’ll be back tonight, or I’ll send someone. I’m not going to let you sleep alone.”

My brain seemed to have stopped working. All I could do is nod, my hand clenching ever tighter on my phone, as if I could stop James from leaving if I gripped hard enough. _One last try._

“You know I’m not mad at you, right? Or afraid of you?”

“You probably should be.” He crossed to me, quickly but slowly, as if he was thinking about every step before he took it. Carefully, he bent and kissed me on the cheek. I couldn’t quite decipher the look in his eyes. There was too much pain there. “Call me or Talia if you need anything.” He smiled just slightly, an uptic of his lips that was as much an echo as anything else. “Or Steve. Or Tony. Or Thor.”

“I’ll call you,” I promised. _Damn it, James. I don’t need to call anyone else if I’m in danger. You know that!_ He looked at me once more, nodded, then walked out the door.

 

 

I stared at the door for a solid thirty seconds, hardly able to believe what had just happened. _I can’t believe he left. He left. He walked out the door. I tried - what else could I have said? All this over one bruise? Something that’ll be gone in a week._

 _Ok, two weeks,_ I admitted. The bruise was going to be pretty bad. _But I don’t care! Damn it, I got bruised because he was_ hugging _me too tight! How the hell am I supposed to be angry with him about that?_

 _What the hell do I do now?_ My fingers were flying to my phone before I even decided. On the other end of the line, the phone rang.

“Rogers.”

“Steve, it’s Eve.”

“What’s wrong?”

“James is coming to the Tower.” I felt a sob trying to escape, but I held it in. “He hugged me too tight, left a bruise, then freaked when he saw it.”

Steve was silent. “And you’re ok?”

“Physically I’m fine,” I said. “It’s just a bruise. I’m much more worried about James - he just shut down and left, and I don’t know what to do, and “

“Did he Winter?” Steve asked patiently.

“No,” I stopped. My brain-to-mouth filter was usually better than this. “Normal human shutting down of response. Not Wintering out.”

“He’s here,” Steve said. _He must have sprinted the entire way,_ I thought in shock. 

“Go,” I sighed. “I’ll be fine. I want to make sure he is too.” _Even though he’s being a jerk,_ I thought. _Even though I’m scared we just ruined everything, even though I can’t believe he just left like that. I hope he’s ok._

“Are you sure?”

“Take care of your friend, Rogers,” I said, smiling sadly. “Go do what I can’t. You know I don’t care, right? About the damn bruise? I do not care.”

“I know, Eve. Never thought you would.” Steve said something not into the phone - I couldn’t tell what. “Gotta go. You sure you’re ok?”

“I’m fine,” I said, lying through my teeth. “Talk later.”

“Later.” I hung up. It was too much. Too much to deal with. I needed distance. So I did the best I could I didn’t move, I did my best not to think.

My phone rang. I was answering it before the number had registered. “Hello?”

“Hi sunshine.” Clint’s voice was warm, and I relaxed just hearing it. 

“Hi Clint.”

“Heard about your dustup with Mrs. P earlier.”

“I heard,” I snarked. “How did you do that, by the way?”

“Security cameras,” he explained. “Tasha and I are downstairs - buzz us in?”

“Sure thing.” I rose, muscles creaking. I really hadn’t moved at all. Natasha was waving at the camera when I got to the door. I pushed the button and let the security programming know two friendlies were coming. I moved back to the kitchen, rekneading the dough for the pizza. We might as well eat.

A knock sounded on the door.

“Come on in,” I called. “It’s open.” _Read: I let the security system know to expect you, so you can get in without me physically coming to the door._

“Hello,” Clint called. 

“Kitchen,” I replied, starting to roll out the dough.

“Want some help?” Natasha asked, coming in. 

“I got it, thanks,” I said. _I need something to keep my hands busy._ “Help yourself to drinks - there’s wine and beer in the fridge, drinks cabinet is to the left of the sink if you want something stronger.”

Clint came around the island, giving me a quick one-armed hug before grabbing two beers from the fridge. I didn’t notice he’d done anything else until a glass of wine appeared in front of me.

“Clint Barton, you are a god among men.”

“That’s what they tell me,” he said, smiling smugly.

“Hit him for me, will you, Natasha?” I asked the spy. She just smiled and shook her head.

“So what did Jascha do this time?” she asked.

 


	68. Chapter 68

“And then he just left?” Natasha asked, in the tone of someone making sure she had the whole story.

“He said something about that I probably should be afraid of him. And that I should call him or you if I had issues. Or Steve. Or Clint. Or Thor. Basically the whole team.” I took another sip of wine. “And then he kissed me on the head and left.” _Bastard._ I’d moved past fear and onto anger. Well, that wasn’t accurate. I was still afraid - afraid that something had just been broken in this budding relationship, afraid that I’d done something wrong, that I’d lose James entirely. But I was covering it up with anger - and I had reason to be angry. James had just left - it wasn’t fair! And over something as silly as a bruise too. _Idiot. Idiotic man. Poor, damaged man. Shit. Even in my thoughts I can’t stay mad at him. I have a good idea of what seeing that bruise did to him. Even if he did pull the idiotic move of running away from me. Damn it._

“Pizza’s done,” Clint said, opening the oven and grabbing an oven mitt. “You make good grub, Eve.”

“Glad you approve, Barton,” I retorted with a smile. Clint was great at using snark to put me at ease. Maybe that was why he and Tony didn’t get along well - they were too similar. Another sip of wine. The glass was almost empty, and I considered refilling it briefly, then decided against. If James did deign to come back tonight, I didn’t want to be half-tipsy. 

“Never bite the hand that feeds you,” the archer shot back. 

“Well, I think Jascha’s being an idiot,” Natasha said. 

“You and me both,” I said, tracing patterns onto the countertop. 

“And he’ll hear it from me when I get back,” she promised. I wasn’t so sure that was a good idea, and it must have read on my face. “He’ll know I was here,” she said. “He’ll want to know how you are. So I’ll tell him.” She smirked. “That’s assuming Rogers doesn’t knock some sense into him first.”

My phone buzzed, and I turned it over.

  **Tony…**

_Great._

I picked up the phone. “Hi Pops.”

“What’s this I hear about Barnes hurting you?”

“Hold your roll there, old man,” I said, trying to derail the fatherly freight train. 

“Old man,” Tony scoffed.

“One, it’s just a bruise. Two, I got it when he was hugging me too hard, after we had an unexpected visitor. Three, Clint and Natasha are here, have seen said bruise, and they’re not on the warpath. Four, I don’t want you butting in. Please?”

Silence. 

“Fine, kiddo.” Tony sighed. “You owe me Scotch. A case.”

“You’ll get a bottle,” I promised. I’d steal one from Pepper - she kept a stash. I saw the manila envelope Mrs. Peters had brought and absentmindedly started to open it. 

“And if Barnes ever hurts you for real, I’ll kill him myself.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” I said calmly, thinking _You’ll have to beat James himself to the punch. Idiot._ I upended the envelope, spilling out the contents. A sheet of printer paper along with some pictures floated onto the counter. “Tony, I’ll call you back.” 

“What’s wrong?” Tony must have heard the deadness in my voice.

“Blackmail note. Hanging up now. Call me through J.” I dropped the phone and reached to flip over the pictures.

“Wait!” Clint’s shout stopped my hand mid-air. 

“Right.” I said, brain starting to whir up to full speed. “Fingerprints.”

“Let me.” Natasha flipped the pictures, and I concentrated on the lone sheet of printer paper. On it were two lines of text.

  **Stark Heir Dating Grandparents’ Killer**

**CNN Headline News in 48 Hours**

**www.evesboyisakiller.com**

“That-“ I said, about five different thoughts flowing through my head simultaneously. 

“Eve?” Tony’s voice sounded over JARVIS’s speakers. 

“Are you seeing this, Pops?”

“Yup.”

“It makes no sense!” I said, shaking my head. “For so many reasons.” I glanced at the pictures - James and I running in Central Park. Us walking, James’ arm slung over my shoulder, me in his sweatshirt - it must have been taken just yesterday. Us kissing on our couch, in the flat. I glanced at the window out of reflex. There were half a dozen places that photo could have been taken. _The idiot had a point about how insecure my life really is,_ I thought wrily. _He needs to get his butt over here. Stat._

“I agree,” Natasha said, leaning over my shoulder.

“Why the hell would I be ashamed to date James?” I said. “I mean, apart from the fact that he’s acting like a real moron right now?”

“Hi Eve.” It was James. _Crap._

 


	69. Chapter 69

_Crap._

_Oh well, he should jolly well know I’m mad at him._

“Hi James,” I said finally.

“I’d… I want to come home,” he said. “If that’s ok with you.”

“Come!” I said. “Come home. I want you here.” _Of course I want you here, idiot man._

Voices on the edge of the call. “Eve?” It was Steve. “I’m bringing Bucky home on the bike. See you in a few.”

“See ya, Rogers.” 

I waited until their voices vanished from the call.

“How long was he listening?” I asked.

“He heard the best and the worst.” That was Sam. “Hey.”

“Hey. And what do you mean?”

“JARVIS called him when you guys found the envelope. So he was here when you asked why you’d be ashamed of dating him. And when you said he’d been acting like a moron.”

“Which he has,” I said.

“Which he has,” Sam agreed. I lapsed into silence. “It’ll be fine, Eve. He knows he screwed up.”

“Good.” That was Natasha.

“Can we get back to the small matter of the blackmail sitting on my daughter’s kitchen counter?” Tony asked.

“Why not,” I sighed. 

“I have been investigating the website and the origin of the photos and the note itself,” JARVIS reported. “I will need physical access to the papers and the note, and Sir and Dr. Banner will have to run tests.”

“Of course,” I glanced at Clint and Natasha. “You two can take them when you head back to the Tower, right?” They nodded.

“The website?” Clint asked. 

“The website is not highly encrypted, Agent Barton,” the AI continued. “But it will still take a few hours to break the encryption.”

“Using the SHIELD protocols?”

“Using those and those created by Sir,” J said, sounding a bit affronted that he would be using less than the best decryption software.

“You’ll let us know when you find something, right?” I said, suddenly wishing I had a cardigan or something on, something I could wrap around myself. “Screw the protocols we set up - when you break the encryption tell me.”

“Yes, Eve.”

“Eve?” Tony sounded worried. “Do you want to come to the Tower?”

“No,” I snapped, quickly. “Sorry, Pops.” I swallowed. “No, I think I’d rather stay here. I’ve been chased away from my home once. I’m not doing it again.”

“Ok.” _I’m not rejecting you, Tony. I swear. Don’t go down that rabbit hole, please!_

“Do you wanna come over?”

I could see the smile on his face. “No, kiddo, that’s ok. Your place will be crowded as is, what with Robot Boy, Captain Courageous, and Itchy and Twitchy there.” _Nicknames. That’s a good sign._

“Meet for brunch tomorrow?” It was Saturday, and I had a free morning.

“Come on, kiddo - it’s not like we’re not going to talk again tonight. Or tomorrow morning.”

A thought suddenly struck me. “Should we call the police?”

Natasha smiled. “You really are sweet, dear.”

“So no police?” I was a law-abiding citizen. This was what the police were there for, right? So those without a group of superheroes on speed-dial could get help when they needed it. 

“I’ll call Hill,” Clint said. Natasha looked at him. “She has a point. We can do this all above-board, if we want to.” Both assassins looked at me, and I gulped. I was the one making the decision. Oh boy.

“Call Hill,” I said. “We can always do less legal later.” Clint kissed me on the temple on his way out of the room.

“Who do you think did this?” Natasha asked, eyes still on me. “Who has motive?”

I ran a hand through my hair. “I didn’t think anyone hated me that much.” I scowled. “Ok, maybe Spencer. My ex. But it seems almost too easy to blame him. He can’t be responsible for everything bad that happens in my life.”

“No, Jascha has his fair share too.” I got up, intending to make some tea - tea solved everything - but turned to face her at her tone. 

“Why are you so angry with him?” I asked. It was the Russian’s turn to run a hand through her hair. It was quite possibly the first time I’d seen her show any distress.

“Because he should have a good life,” she said finally. “And not screw it up.” I was filling the kettle at this point, ostensibly paying as much attention to the faucet as to Natasha’s words. Lies, of course. “He saved me - he got me out, and didn’t ask for anything. And now he’s here, and out himself, and he has you.” She smiled. “He really does love you, Eve.” I smiled a little in response. “And so it pisses me off that he’s not willing to believe that he can be happy. Or at least, content. That you actually love him too. Idiot.”

I just nodded. “It wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t run away,” I said, voice small as I plugged in the kettle. “Sure, I understand he freaked out. But he ran - and I couldn’t do anything to stop him. So now I get to wonder if there’s anything else I could have said, could have done, to make him stay, even while I yell at myself for thinking that way.” _I guess this is Bates/Romanov sharing hour,_ I thought wryly, a bit surprised at the amount I was spilling. “And I can’t help but think this time it’s my fault. That sure, Spencer screwed up with us, but now it’s my turn. I know it’s not, but I can’t help thinking it. And even though James is an insecure, overprotective asshole, I can’t imagine ever finding myself loved by anyone better.” 

A knock sounded on the door, and tears started to spill over my cheeks. “That’s probably the boys. Let them in? I’ll be in my bedroom.” Natasha nodded, and I practically fled down the hallway.


	70. Chapter 70

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in a day again - well, I wanted to get the whole James/Eve conversation out there. 
> 
> You are all the best, as per usual!

The first thing I did once in my room was to find my gigantic sweater-coat, the one I’d knit years ago, which I never wore because it was too bulky, and wrapped myself in it. My fingers curled in between the stitches as I hugged myself, sitting knees to chest on my bed, tears running down my face. 

 _I don’t want to cry again, damn it!_ I thought. _It feels like I’ve been doing nothing but crying lately. If this is being in love, love sucks._ I could hear male voices in the kitchen, but I couldn’t be bothered to decipher whose voice was whose. 

I wiped the remaining tears from my face. This crying jag hadn’t been a long one, thank goodness. But I wasn’t ready to face everyone yet.

“Eve?” My door was cracked - I hadn’t bothered closing it in my rush. It was James. “I won’t come in if you don’t want me to. Hell, I don’t even know if you can here me right now.” He was speaking softly, so I could barely hear him. I could see his shadow, or half of it, from the hallway light.

“I can hear you,” I said. “Hi James.” He pushed the door the rest of the way open, and stood in the hallway. He was obviously not going to come in unless I gave him permission. He saw me in the sweater, my face red from tears, and his eyes darkened. Then his chin went up, and he squared his shoulders.

“Gods, Eve, I’m so sorry.” He almost whispered it, but I heard him. “Can I come in?” I nodded, and he moved to the bed, kneeling on the floor so our faces were more or less level.

“I’m sorry.” He repeated. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left, shouldn’t have run to the Tower. Steve was pissed - I thought for a minute he was going to knock me out, sling me over a shoulder, and carry me back.” My lips quirked a little at the mental image. “I never meant to hurt you.” He looked down at his hands, then up at me again. “Either time. Not when I grabbed you, not when I left.” He sighed. “Not that it makes any difference. I still hurt you.” He was still looking at me, eyes meeting mine steadily. “I don’t know why you’d forgive me, or if I can fix this, but I -

“When I heard you opened the envelope, when you said what you said,” he closed his eyes. “I was standing there, with Tony and Steve, and I knew I should have been at the other end of that phone call. And it was my fault I wasn’t. I should have been there, wanted to be there, with you.” He looked at me again, waiting for my response. 

“You know you can’t always be there,” I said slowly. “You can’t - there will be times when we’re not together, and things will happen. Or you’ll be with the Avengers and something will go wrong at home. And I really wish you’d believe me when I say I don’t care about something. That would be nice.” It was my turn to sigh, and I reached out a hand to him, almost by reflex. He took it slowly, wrapping his fingers around mine.

“But as to how I can forgive you - that’s easy. I love you, James Barnes. And I forgive you. It’d be nice if next time you would actually stay instead of running off - I mean, Natasha and Clint are great, and I don’t feel unsafe with them, but I wanted you there too, when I opened that envelope.” I’d been staring straight ahead, but now I turned my head to look at him, and I was shocked to find his eyes were overbright, tears there waiting to be shed. “Please don’t do that again,” I whispered.

“I promise. I promise I won’t run away from you again, and I’ll trust you know what you feel,” he said, bringing the hand he still held to his lips, kissing my knuckles gently. We stayed like that for an endless moment, eyes locked. Then I moved, scooting to the edge of the bed and slipping off it so I was kneeling on the floor too. My arms wrapped around his waist, my face buried in his chest. His arms came around me more hesitantly, but tightened when sighed and snuggled my nose deeper into his shirt. _I can’t believe that I missed this so much,_ I thought, revelling in the safety of James’ arms around me. _It’s only been a few hours, for crying out loud._

 

 

“Eve? Buck?” Steve craned his head around the door frame. I was spun around, James pulling me so he was between me and the threat. I chuckled. 

“Heya, Steve-O.” James let me go and stood.

“He apologised?” Steve asked as James extended a hand. I took it, and he levered me up.

“That he did,” I agreed. 

“You lucked out,” Steve informed his friend as he led the way down the corridor. James had put an arm around my shoulders as we walked. 

“I know,” he said, smiling down at me and pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “I know.”

“Do I have to kill you?” Natasha asked as we emerged into the kitchen, addressing James. She saw me in the circle of his arm and relaxed fractionally. “Eve?”

“No, don’t kill him,” I said, the arm that was around his waist tightening. “He apologised. And promised to never do it again.”

“Good.” Natasha stalked over to us, poking James rather firmly in the chest. “Do that again, Jascha, and I will do more than just punching you.”

“You punched him?” I asked, turning to check James for bruises. Sure enough, there was the tell-tale darkening of the skin on his cheekbone.

“He deserved it,” Natasha said. _I swear, I have a family of overly violent, protective, crazy people,_ I thought. _At least their hearts are in the right place._ I smoothed a hand over the to-be bruise. 

“Want ice?” I asked.

“I’ll be fine,” James said, smiling gently at me. “Talia’s right. I deserved it.” I just rolled my eyes at the pair of them.

“What is it about Russians that makes any appropriate response violent?” I asked rhetorically, stepping out of James’ arm to start making coffee. It was going to be a long night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this resolves the Eve/James tension - he apologises, which I think is particularly important, and acknowledges what he did wrong. Our boy (man), isn't perfect, but he's trying. 
> 
> Now the lovebirds can face this as they were meant to - together. (which is so incredibly sappy I can't believe I just wrote that...:) )


	71. Chapter 71

“Are you sure?”

“Am I sure what?” I half-snapped. “Sorry Steve.” I glanced at the blonde, who was leaning against the far wall as relaxed as ever. “Yes, I’m sure. Tomorrow, assuming Hill doesn’t talk us out of it, I’ll call a press conference and James and I will tell all.” I grimaced. “Are you sure?” My voice softened as I echoed Steve. James’ hand, interlocked with mine, squeezed gently.

“I’m sure.” He grinned. “After all, what kinda punk would be ashamed to admit to being with a dame like you?”

I grinned back, nudging him with a shoulder. “You know that’s not what I meant, love.” _You know, the whole Winter Solider/HYDRA thing. The whole “you’ve killed lots of people” thing. The whole “you killed my grandparents and the media will skewer you for it” thing._

He looked at me steadily. “You don’t care. The rest of the world can go to hell as far as I’m concerned.”

“That’s settled, then,” Steve said, smiling. 

“And the legal issues?” Natasha was lounging next to me at the island.

“SI has lawyers,” I said. “If we need them, we’ll use them.” I grinned. “It’ll give them something useful to do.”

“If that’s everything,” James began, looking around. “We should probably call it a night.” He looked at me. I was sure I looked like death. Three cups of coffee later, and I still couldn’t keep my eyes open - they’d been fluttering closed for the past fifteen minutes.

“Meet tomorrow?”

“Meet at 8:30,” I agreed. “I’ll have breakfast on the table. Everyone’s invited.”

“That’s a lot of work,” Steve said. 

“And I knew what I was offering when I suggested it,” I said, yawning. “We have enough here. Now scoot. Get some sleep.” 

Steve sketched a half-salute. “Yes, ma’am.” I grinned at him. 

“Night, punk,” James said, “And thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” the soldier said, grabbing his jacket and putting it on, one enormous shoulder at a time. “Always happy to tell you you’re being an idiot.” 

“Jascha, let go of our girl’s hand for a minute,” Natasha said, unwinding from the chair. “I want to give her a hug before I go.”

James let go of me, and I slid off my stool as well, but with far less grace than the redhead had managed. She hugged me, and I wondered how many people the Black Widow had let herself hug over the years. _Not many._ I smiled. _I’m honored._ I hugged back.

“Come over sometime,” I offered as we separated. “We can do a girls night.”

The spy smiled. “I’d like that.”

“It’s a date.” Natasha moved to the door as Clint slapped James on the shoulder in farewell, then came to give me a hug as well.

“Take care, ok?”

“As if I have any option, Birdboy,” I joked, vanishing into his hug. “What with you, Tash, Steve, not to mention Sargent Sneaky over here, I don’t think I have any choice but to be safe.”

“Keep it that way.” He grinned, and vanished out the door, leaving Steve, James, and I alone in the flat. 

“Thank you, Steve,” I said, going over to give Steve a hug. “For everything.” _For letting me call you, for smacking some sense into your friend, for being the awesome hunk of American truth and justice that you are._

“Least I could do,” he said, returning the hug gently. “Maybe next time I’ll get to punch Bucky.”

“Let’s hope there’s not a next time,” I said, and the supersoldier vanished too.

James and I were alone in the apartment. 

“Better go set the alarm for the night,” I said, moving over to the wall of tech next to our door. I started the laborious process of keying in every alarm code. At least they all had fairly memorable combinations. At least for me. The day James and I met. The year my violin was made. The year James enlisted. And Tony’s ‘birthday’ - the day he became Iron Man.

“Eve?” James asked as I finished setting the last code. I turned my head, looking into the kitchen. James was finishing clean up, washing a few dishes.

“My hero,” I sighed, coming up behind him and threading my hands around his waist. “Thanks.”

“You do the cooking, I clean,” he reminded me, resting one of his hands on top of my interlocked pair on his stomach. 

“What’s up?” I asked, resting my cheek between his shoulder blades. 

“Wondered if you’d gone to bed,” he murmured, continuing to wash the dishes. 

“Nope.” I let go of him so I could sit on the counter. “I was still setting the new alarms. I’m sure it’ll get faster as I get more used to it, but for now, it takes me forever.” James smiled absently. “I don’t know if I can really get to sleep tonight anyway. Coffee and too many thoughts going through my head. And I don’t know how long J’s going to take to break the encryption on the website - I kind of wanted to be up for that.”

“Let me finish up in here, then, and we can watch a movie or something,” James suggested. “What’s up next on the Eve Bates Approved List of Pop Culture Catching Up?”

That sounded wonderful. “Hm…. Have we started Doctor Who yet?”

“Doctor What?”

I grinned. “Apparently not. I’ll go and pull it up - I’ve got to decide which episode to start with.” 

 

I was half-asleep when I felt James slide onto the couch next to me. 

“Hey hon,” I said, reaching for the remote.

“We can just go to sleep, you know,” he said, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close.

“No,” I said, knowing he was right, but not wanting to deal with the possibility of nightmares. Because if there ever was a night for nightmares, this was it. “Let’s watch at least one episode.”

“All right.” I pressed play. 

“This is what you need to know,” I said, beginning my ‘Intro to Doctor Who’ lecture. “This episode is called ‘Blink.’ It’s my favourite. The main character of the series, the Doctor, isn’t really in it, but you see him. And he’s a Time Lord, from Gallifrey, an alien - not like Thor. And he has companions, and a time traveling box called the TARDIS. And” I yawned. “That’s probably more than you need to know for this.”

James chuckled. 

 

 

 

 

I woke up halfway to hear James talking. Well, to feel James talking. He was trying to keep his voice down, but, as I was using his chest as a pillow, I woke to the rumbling I could hear under my ear.

“- wake her, JARVIS,” James said.

“I understand that, Sargent,” the AI responded. “But Miss Eve requested she be informed when the results of the decryption came in.”

“Mmm here, J,” I mumbled. I cleared my throat and tried again. “I’m here, J. What’s the news?”

“Didn’t want to wake you,” James said, lips brushing my forehead. 

“’S ok,” I said. “I wanted to know.” 

“If you are ready?” JARVIS asked. We were still on the couch, James’ feet propped on the sofa table as I used him as a pillow. He’d tucked a blanket around me as well as he could, I noticed with fondness. 

I grinned at the snark in the AI’s tone. “No need to get snippy, J. James was only trying to help.” I could almost hear the AI’s sigh. 

“Very well. The decryption was successful. After routing through multiple servers - a medium level of encryption, neither state of the art nor amateur-ish - I was able to discover the people who built the site.”

“And?”

“The website was built at two different IP addresses. The apartments of one Otto Blumenthal and one Spencer Coogan.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, Pharm? You were right...


	72. Chapter 72

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otto and Spencer. This isn't good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm sorry for not updating any sooner! Traveling back home/jetlag/work stuff kind of got in the way of actually writing. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to keep to the daily updates thing anymore, but I will write as much and as often as I can.
> 
> Thanks for bearing with me, and we're almost done with the story! (I'm all awash with a sea of feels. Not sure whether that's the approaching ending of this story, or the fact that I (finally!) saw Age of Ultron last night. Oh my goodness.)

“The website was built at two different IP addresses. The apartments of one Otto Blumenthal and one Spencer Coogan.” 

_Otto Blumenthal and Spencer Coogan._

_Otto and Spencer._

_Spencer and Otto._

_Wait. What?_

It didn’t make sense. The combination didn’t make sense, the reasons didn’t make sense. James had tightened his arms around me, whether to protect me or comfort me, I wasn’t sure. I stifled an almost hysterical giggle.

“Eve?” JARVIS asked. “Are you still present?”

“All present and correct, J,” I said, not able to hold back the laughter any more. James looked at me in surprise. I wasn’t sure what was going on myself anyway. I felt odd - like a nuclear reactor that had suddenly had all of its safety interlocks taken off. Like Dr. Banner as the Hulk, with people backing away slowly, just to see what he would do. I could do anything! 

Or nothing at all.

“Eve?” This time it was James who asked, stroking his hand over my cheekbone gently. I closed my eyes, focusing all my concentration on his hand on my cheek. On his other arm, still around my waist. On all the places our bodies touched. I focused on him, and felt less adrift, less crazy.

I opened my eyes. “It doesn’t make sense,” I said. _And I’m back._ My brain rebooted, rational thought re-exerting itself.I leaned into James’ hold, trying to show him I was ok as I grappled with the new information.

“What doesn’t make sense?” James asked, face relaxing minutely at my response. 

“What does?” I returned. “The blackmail is clearly a really bad plan. The method they went about using is stupid. And the perps make no sense. It’s so stupid, I have to wonder if there’s someone else behind it.” I glanced at the ceiling. “J? Have you found anything indicating this is more than two idiots screwing around?”

“As much as I would like to inform you that there is indeed a nefarious individual pulling Mr. Blumenthal and Mr. Coogan’s strings,” JARVIS replied, “I have been unable to find anything other than the obvious.”

“Huh.” I smiled, but there wasn’t much but black humour behind it. “Guess I underestimated how stupid people can be. Again.”

“Why is the blackmail so stupid?” James asked. “Anyone who’s met you knows shoving just you in a corner is a really dumb thing to do. But add someone you care about into the mix…” He trailed off. 

I mused on that. “Anyone who I care about wouldn’t want me to pay the ransom anyway,” I decided finally. “You, Tony, Pep, the quartet. We’d all deal with the consequences of making the bastards pay. And besides - the consequences for this - aren’t dire. I don’t actually care what people care about me.”

“You don’t?” The James Barnes-patented Eyebrow Raise showed itself.

“Sure, it helps for my job. A lot.” I waved that away. “But if it’s in a good cause? Throwing away my reputation? I couldn’t care less.” I bit my bottom lip. “The other part of the equation is whether or not you’d be willing to come clean. They might have just underestimated that.” 

James’ lip curled. “I know what I’ve done. Mostly. And I’ll pay the price.”

“We can get onto the whole you-were-controlled-by-the-bad-guys-to-do-bad-things discussion later,” I said, kissing his temple. “You aren’t culpable. But how many people know you well enough to know you’d make that call?”

James thought. “Three?” he said. “Maybe four. You, Steve, Talia. And Sam.”

“Not exactly a lot. Maybe the plan wasn’t as stupid as I thought. The combination irks me, though.”

“Combination?”

“Why Otto?” I bit my lip again. James’ eyes darkened just a tad, and it was my turn to raise my eyebrows at him. _You like that, do you, Sargent?_ I thought, filing the information away for later use. _Good to know._ “Spencer I get. He doesn’t like me. He’s not doing so well at the Opera,” a fact I’d been delighted to learn the previous day - something about culture clashes within the orchestra, “and he blames me.”

“And he’s still in love with you.”

“Sure.” I scoffed. “He’s so in love with me he cheated on me.”

“He is,” James said. “I don’t think you saw his face when he realised we were together. I didn’t think he was capable of something like this, but had I been anyone else, I think he might have tried something to hurt me.”

“You think he knew who you were?”

“You introduced me to him at the gala, remember?” I nodded. 

“By name.” My heart sank. “And even Spencer can navigate Google.”

James nodded. “Doesn’t take a lot to figure it out. And he may not be HYDRA, but he’s not exactly clean as the driven snow either.”

“That much I know,” I said, scowling. “Which doesn’t exactly help us with why the everloving eff Otto would be part of this.”

“If I may?” JARVIS interrupted.

“Go ahead, J.”

“I have examined Mr. Blumenthal’s financial records - both personal and professional.” _Highly illegal, there, J,_ I thought, but wasn’t about to protest. Information is power. “I have found several irregularities.”

“Irregularities?”

“It seems Mr. Blumenthal was living far above his means prior to the financial collapse,” JARVIS explained. “When the markets crashed, Mr. Blumenthal first attempted to deal with the loss of his savings and his ready access to credit. However, three months after his second credit card application was denied, he started to siphon off donor funds to the Metropolitan Opera and its various organisations.”

I let out a surprised breath, but JARVIS continued. “At first he only took enough so that he could start to repay loans. A year ago, however, he started to take more money. Others have started to get suspicious - I found several monitoring programs on the various accounts during my search, and I believe Mr. Blumenthal is trying to obtain enough money to return his ‘borrowings’ of the past six months.”

“Holy shit,” James breathed. “Four million in six months?”

“No freaking kidding,” I said, trying to wrap my head around it. “I know New York’s expensive, but that’s … a lot of money. Christ.” I sighed again. “Well, he’s a scumbag.”

James chuckled at my matter of fact tone. “Oh really?”

“Really really,” I said, suddenly very tired. I yawned.

“J? I’m assuming Tony knows?”

“I have relayed the information to Sir, yes,” the AI confirmed. A pause. “He asks if you’d like to speak to him.”

“Please,” I said, wanting to talk to my dad.

“Kiddo?” his voice came over the speakers a second later. 

“Hey Pops,” I said. 

“You’re having a rough night of it, aren’t you?”

“Had smoother,” I confirmed, our quick banter doing as much as anything could to calm me down. “We still on for brunch tomorrow?”

“You bet, sweetheart. Pep’s reserved a place already.”

“Nice.” I yawned. “And have you heard anything from Agent Hill yet?”

I could almost hear him shaking his head. “Nope.” Pause. “You know I’ll be standing up there with you and Barnes tomorrow, right?”

I smiled, touched. “I would never have expected anything less, Pops. Love you.”

“Love you too, kiddo. I’ll try not to steal your spotlight.”

“Steal away, oh father mine,” I grinned. “Believe me, we’ll all get more than we want.”

“Too much attention? Never!” he drawled. “You _are_ talking to Tony Stark, remember?”

“I remember,” I said.

“And tell Barnes to take care of you, ok? We don’t want you getting sick.”

“I’ll take care of her, Stark,” James commented.

“Of course you’re in on the conversation,” Tony grumbled. He huffed. “Appreciate it, Barnes.”

“Don’t mention it,” James said, macho bonding apparently calling for chronic incomplete sentences. 

I yawned again. 

“I think you’d better get some sleep, there,” Tony said. “We’ve got reporters to shock tomorrow.”

“What, like that’s hard?” I joked, then yawned again. “But you’re right. Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Won’t. Get some sleep.”

“Love ya, Pops.”

“Love ya, kiddo.” 

 


	73. Chapter 73

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Everyone!  
> I'm so so sorry it's taken me so long to update again - writer's block. Busy-ness. And trying to start a new story (which I'm hoping you all will love, by the way)
> 
> But we're back, and here's some Eve/James fluff before we get started with the final push to the finish. Hope you enjoy and thanks as always for reading!!!

“So it’s tomorrow.”

“Yup.”

“You know you don’t have to do this.” James looked at me. 

“I don’t have to do what?”

I sighed. “You don’t have to tell the world who you are. Not if you don’t want to.” _It’s so much to ask. You know the world press, love. They might not… react well. And I don’t want you doing that just for me._  

He pulled me closer into his side. “I think… I think it’s time I stopped hiding.”

I turned my head to look at him. “You think?”

“I do.” He kissed the top of my head, then barked a short laugh. “You know, if you’d have asked me yesterday, I would have told you I did care what the world thought of me. I would have told you I didn’t want everyone knowing who I was. What I did.” He frowned. “Not everyone forgives me as easily as you and Steve do.”

I rested a hand on his chest, feeling his heart beat. “You know as well as we do there’s nothing to forgive, love.”

He smiled. “Not everyone will see it that way.” I nodded, grudgingly. “But I don’t care.” I met his eyes, seeing with surprise the absolute truth there. He meant it. “As long as I have you, as long as I have Steve, I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks of me.”

I snuggled even closer to him, if that were even possible any more. “That is impossibly romantic of you, dear.”

“Think it qualifies me for a reward?” he asked, and I knew without looking the exact brand of devilish grin that was on his face. 

“Maybe,” I conceded, smiling despite myself. After all, if the reward was anything like the ‘makeup sex’… Then I yawned. 

He sighed. “I’ll collect tomorrow. Tonight, you need some sleep.” 

“Buzzkill,” I mumbled. Then yawned again.

“That’s it,” he said, standing and lifting me with him. I yelped. “Time for bed.”

“You know I could walk,” I commented as he carried me to my room. 

“Do you want me to put you down?” he asked. My hands curled around his neck.

“Nope,” I said, letting my eyes drift closed. “I like this - you carrying me around. It’s nice.” _I feel so… precious, like this._

James chuckled, and I could feel the rumbling deep in his chest. “Get the door for me, would you?” I reached for the door and pushed - I never closed my door all the way unless I was actually inside the room - and the door swung open. “Thank you, doll.” I was gently lowered onto my bed, and James smoothed a strand of hair back from my face before moving away.

“Oh no,” I said, feeling sleep start to take over - I was more tired than I had thought. “No, James, stay here.”

“I’m just going to grab pj’s,” he said, and vanished out of my field of view. I grumbled and sat up, pulling off my clothes myself and changing into my pyjamas, determined not to go to sleep until James came back.

I was pulling my shirt over my head when he came back. I emerged to a shirtless James pulling off jeans. _Such a good view,_ I thought. _Such a good good view._ And then I yawned again. _Damn it. No sexy times. I’d fall asleep as soon as James laid me down._

“Doll?” I met James’ eyes. I had the feeling he’d asked more than once. But I’d been ogling. _Can’t say I feel bad about that._

“Yeah?”

“What were you thinking?”

I grinned at him. “I was thinking,” I said, as he crawled into bed next to me, “About the things I want to do to you. Tomorrow. After the press conference.”

“Oh really?” The shit-eating grin was back. “And what might those things be?”

I waved a hand at him. “So many many things. In so many different positions. Tell you tomorrow.” I yawned, rapidly losing whatever battle I’d been able to put up with sleep. 

“Ok,” James said, and pulled me from where I was sat against the headboard so I was curled into him instead. “Tomorrow.” 

“Tomorrow,” I promised, making sure his arm was wrapped firmly around my middle. This time it was the metal arm that I tucked beneath my own, warming beneath my touch. “Love you, love,” I whispered.

“Love you too,” James murmured back, and I drifted off, safe in James’ arms.


	74. Chapter 74

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bit more setup for the press conference...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you all are awesome, and we're almost there. Prepare for drama tomorrow (I have the next few chapters written, and it's ... intense.)

It was madness backstage. Well, not backstage. Actually, it was one of the conference rooms in the Tower. And somehow, everyone was going nuts. Steve was pacing back and forth, Tony was badgering the makeup artist, Pepper was talking to someone at one end of the table, Hill was speaking into a phone at the other. James had escaped to the loo, and I was sat, absolutely in the middle of the conference table, wondering how the hell this had turned into such a madhouse.

At first only Tony had insisted on standing up with James and I. Then Steve had heard, and he wanted to be there. And then Natasha, of all people, had suggested presenting a united front. And so Pepper had gotten involved. So a simple press conference had turned into the Avengers proudly revealing the return of one James Buchanan Barnes. I was simply there as moral support, which I wasn’t opposed to. _I can always scan the room for Spencer. So I can borrow one of Clint’s arrows and shoot the bastard._ I’d thought I would have been calmer, having slept the night away nightmare free in James’ arms. But no. Every time I thought about the betrayal, cutting so close to the previous one, and to someone I cared about, my anger burned deeper and hotter. Spencer had better wish he never came near me ever again. Because I was going to dismantle him the first chance I got. Legality be damned.

Otto though. I turned the name around in my mind. I still didn’t quite understand why he’d tried to blackmail me. Intellectually, I understood the financial straits he was in, and how desperate times sometimes caused people to do insane things, but I’d thought Otto actually liked me. After all, Eve Bates, now a Stark, wasn’t the only rich person on the Metropolitan Opera’s rolodex. And I was sure some of them had far bigger skeletons in their closets. _It doesn’t make sense,_ I grumbled inwardly, remembering just in time to not actually run my hands through my hair - it was all done up, and anything I did now would just mess it up. 

James reappeared, looking dapper in a black suit and a blue button-front shirt. No tie. He’d vetoed it, declaring the only time he’d wear a tie while not in some official capacity was if he was taking me out, and if this wasn’t a date, no tie. I’d held my hands up, staying well clear of any wardrobe-related fights, and the wardrobe women had relented. Not without giving me somewhat envious looks, though. _I am an exceptionally lucky woman,_ I thought as James’ expression softened when he spotted me and headed around the table. 

“You doing all right?” he asked, pulling out the office chair next to me.

“Oh, I’m fine,” I said, a bit distractedly. Steve was now talking to Hill, almost waving his hands in the air. “Steve seems to be having fun.”

“Oh that?” Something in James’ tone made me focus harder on the pair. “Steve just doesn’t know how to talk to a dame he actually likes, is all.”

I spun to James. “What?” My eyebrows were probably hitting my hairline, but I didn’t care. Steve? And Hill? The mind boggled. James just chuckled, spinning me around again. 

“Look closer.” He’d leaned over next to me, and his breath was hot on my ear. “See how even though he’s arguing with her his hands aren’t in fists?” I nodded. “And he’s not frowning. Much.” 

“And look at her,” I said softly. “If she were really angry, she’d try to make herself look bigger - try and stand, and she’d definitely not look like she’s trying to hid a smile. How about that. Steve and Maria.”

“Observant, aren’t we?”

“We’re just awesome,” I said, spinning my chair. “Of course. Now. How are you?” It had been such a madhouse since we’d arrived, I wanted to check how James was doing. And I knew he wouldn’t complain. 

James, unlike Steve and Agent Hill, did frown now. “I think I’m ok.” He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, and suddenly smiled. “No, I am ok.” 

_Explain?_ I wanted to ask, but held my tongue, as James was talking anyway.

“You’re here.” He covered one of my hands, which had fallen onto the conference table, with one of his. “And Steve’s here. And Stark. Which is bizarrely reassuring, and I need you to promise me that you won’t ever tell him I just said that.”

“Promise,” I said with a small grin.

“So if you’re here, and you don’t care that I was an awful human being, a murderer, who killed people, and all of that -“ he took a deep breath, “Then I’m prepared to accept your moral judgement. You might all be insane, but at least I’d be in good company.”

I couldn’t resist. I had to lean over and kiss him, trying to show him without words how glad I was he was starting to be able to forgive himself. At the first wolf whistle, we broke apart. 

“Instagram!” one of the makeup artists sang out, and I glared.

“Put it up on Instagram and you will regret it,” I spat. James, reacting to my tension, half-stood out of his chair, and the girl was suddenly surrounded by five angry Avengers. And one Agent Hill. And one Pepper Potts. 

“Ummm… Forget I said anything,” she mumbled, handing over her phone to Pepper.

“You all understand we don’t want a social media circus,” Pepper said to the now deathly-silent room. Heads nodded. “Good. Don’t forget it. We protect our own around here.” 

_Go Aunt Pep!_ I cheered silently, relaxing. _Not that I don’t want to see that picture, though,_ I mused. _Maybe I can get J to get me a copy._

“Sir? Miss Potts?” the AI asked, as if my thoughts had conjured him up. 

“Yeah, JARVIS?” Tony asked.

“It is time, Sir.” The tension in the room, which had relaxed slightly after Pepper’s dealing with the makeup artist, ratcheted up once again. 

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Tony said, and everyone began to file out of the room. Tony caught my arm as I was about to leave, and James paused with me. “You good, kiddo?” he asked, face concerned. “I know things have been rushed today - I wanna make sure you’re ok.”

I gave him a hug, probably ruining his neatly pressed shirt, but I didn’t care. I loved my dad. Very much. “I’ll be ok, Pops,” I said, squeezing tight once before letting go. “I’ve got you here, and James, and Pepper. And after this, let’s go and beat Spencer and Otto into a pulp, huh?”

“You have the best ideas for a family outing,” Tony said, smirking and heading out the door. 

“Glad you approve,” I said deadpan. _Although the idea of Spencer and Otto in considerable amounts of pain does sound lovely._


	75. Chapter 75

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so the press conference begins...

“Hi everyone. I’d introduce myself, but it’s really unnecessary, don’t you think?” Tony’s voice didn’t boom across the sea of somewhat silent reporters - the mics were too good. But it did travel well. I stood at James’ side, not holding his hand - that wouldn’t be good security practice, but near enough that our fingertips brushed every now and again when one of us shifted. “Anyway, we’re all gathered here today for a joyous occasion. Someone has been raised from the dead. And no, it’s not me. It’s not Captain Tight- excuse me, Captain America - either. But I think I’ll let the man himself explain.” With a glance at the pair of us, Tony stepped back from the lectern and nodded at James.

 _Please let this be the right thing,_ I thought as James’ head turned to me. _Please let him be up to this. Don’t let him Winter out. Don’t let this be too much. Please, Universe. For me. For him. Just this one thing. Please._ James’ gaze found mine and I couldn’t help but smile. “Love you,” I mouthed. “No matter what.” 

He smiled back and kissed me on the cheek. “Love you, Eve. ‘Till the end of the line.” Then he squared his shoulders and stepped up to the lectern.

“Hello,” he said, and even I had to strain to hear the uncertainty in his voice. “You’re all here because of me, I guess.” The Brooklyn edge was coming out stronger now. “Sorry about that.” The reporters chuckled obediently. “My name is James Buchanan Barnes.” The cameras started to flash faster, and my heart raced, but James just kept speaking. “I served with Steve Rogers - with Captain America - in World War II, as part of the Howling Commandos. I fell of a train during the war and was declared KIA.” Pause. “Fortunately or unfortunately, I wasn’t dead. I was captured. By HYDRA. I did… unspeakable things.” He half-turned, then kept going. “And half the people on that stage will kill me if I don’t say that I was tortured, and frozen, and brainwashed. They think it makes up for the fact that I killed people.” His voice rang out across the now-silent mass of humanity before him. “If I had my way, I wouldn’t be telling you all of this. If I had my way, I would pay my debts to society, to those I killed, in private. But that’s no longer an option.”I was so proud. I couldn’t help but grin at James’ back as he stood tall in front of me. 

“The details, those we can release, will be on the Internet this morning,” James continued. “But before I go, let me say this.” He paused, focusing on something in the crowd. “EVE, DOWN!” Then I was on the ground, someone’s body on top of me, and everything devolved into chaos. There were gunshots, loud in the room, first from one place, then a whole bunch, seeming to come from everywhere at once. And the person who had me pinned wouldn’t let me up. I struggled, my hands running into ribs. And boobs?

“Natasha, let me up,” I gasped. 

“No.” She kept me pinned down as she looked around. “Jascha will have my head if I let you get hurt.” The shooting had stopped. My ears were starting to ring, and at least one person was moaning in pain. 

“Widow?” someone barked. 

“Over here. With Bates.”

“Clear.” 

“Clear.”

“Clear.”

“Everyone all clear. Stand down and secure the area.” Military terms rang around me, and I still couldn’t see anything, damn it. My heart wasn’t slowing down, either. The adrenaline rush at being tackled was turning into worry. If James had yelled, that meant there was danger, and I now had way too many people I cared about whose first response was to barge right in.

“Natasha, please,” I asked, no longer bothering to fight. “At least tell me everyone’s ok.” 

“I’m going to move,” she said. “But you have to be careful getting up, ok? I think you banged your head.”

“I’m fine,” I protested as the spy rose fluidly, extending a hand. I got up, a bit more shakily, discarding first one heel, then the other. Heels were just way too much work at a time like this. 

My mouth dropped open at the sight. I was on the platform, still, but the lectern wasn’t. It was crashed onto the polished marble floor, broken into at least five pieces. Reporters were being herded off into the bowels of the Tower. And there was blood. A trail of it, leading from the lectern over to the far corner of the room, where a bunch of black-clad people were standing. I saw Tony’s light grey suit and hopped off the platform. I couldn’t see James, and my pulse rushed on once more. A part of my brain wondered how quickly my heart was beating. _At least 120? Definitely some kind of presto tempo. If not prestissimo. Or prestissimo molto. What’s even faster than prestissimo?_

“Not there.” Natasha was standing next to me.

“Like hell,” I said. She came to stand in front of me.

“Let me go, Natasha,” I said. At that moment, I didn’t care that she had years of training and experience, that she could stop me with a hand tied behind her back. I took a step forward. “You will let me by, and we will find James.” I stared right into her eyes. “Protect me if you need to. But I need to find him.”

She held my gaze for a minute, then nodded. “Fine. But if I tell you to run, you run.”

“Agreed.” We made our way across the room, my eyes drawn to the blood trail that seemed to grow thicker as it got further and further away from the platform. _Is that James’? Please let that not be James’._

“Nat.” That was Clint, sauntering out of the crowd to greet us. 

“Clint. Problems?”

“Nothing he couldn’t handle.” Clint smirked. 

“He?” The question jumped out of my mouth before I could stop myself

“Barnes.”

“Show me.” Clint glanced at Natasha, who must have done something or other. I wasn’t paying attention, because Tony had just turned.

“Eve?”

“Pops,” I hurried over to him, and he grabbed me in a bear hug. 

“Thank god you’re ok.”

“Of course I’m ok,” I said. “Natasha tackled me. What the hell happened.”

“I’ll show you,” Tony said, although he sounded reluctant. “Just don’t freak out, ok?”

“Show me what happened. Then I’ll decide whether or not I need to freak out.” I was getting more and more nervous. The butterflies in my stomach weren’t normal performance nerve butterflies. No, these were full-fledged moths the size of dinner plates. And they were all angry.

“Barnes is ok,” Tony said, and my pulse began to calm. The men, all SHIELD agents, I guessed, began to part, and I saw the strangest thing. James, shirt staining with blood, standing over two figures. One was Spencer, who was lying on his side. Blood was pooling under him, and it looked almost black.

The other was Otto, who was kneeling, hands bound behind him, front splattered with blood. He looked up at me, eyes filled with confusion and hate.

“How could you?” he asked me. “How could you love him, knowing what he did?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think?


	76. Chapter 76

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aftermath, Pt. I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is going to be a short chapter, but I thought a short chapter was better than no chapter, after yesterday. So here you go!

He was dead. Spencer was dead. He had to be dead. No one could lose that much blood and survive. 

And that must be Spencer’s blood on James’ shirt, right? Dead Spencer’s blood on my James’ shirt. 

And why did Otto look like a horror movie extra? Wait. He’d asked me something.

“What?” I asked, still not comprehending, or not wanting to comprehend.

“How could you?” Otto said, and James practically growled at the man. 

“How could I what?” I asked. “Blackmail a friend? I think that’s my line.”

“Love a murderer.” He said it like a death sentence.

“Well, I was friends with you, and you’re a blackmailer.” I shot back. “And you have no idea what James went through. He was tortured. He was brainwashed. He isn’t responsible.”

“Do you know what he did? How many people he’s killed?”

“He killed my biological grandparents,” I shot back. “I think I have some idea.”

“He killed my parents.” I heard James suck in a breath. _Sorry love, I don’t have time for you to apologise to Otto right now,_ I thought absently. 

“That sucks,” I said coldly. “Why the hell are you in handcuffs?”

Otto looked right at me a bit sadly. As if he were sorry for me. “I tried to kill him.” That was when I snapped. I suddenly knew what I’d inherited from my mother. She was the one that got cold when she got angry. Tony threw things. Dad yelled. Mom just got even.

So it was with complete calm that I grabbed the nearest agent’s knife, flipping it open.

“Be really really glad you didn’t,” I told Otto softly, crossing the distance between us in a few steps, not caring if I stepped in blood. “Be really really glad you didn’t kill the man I love, because that’s the only thing stopping me from tearing you apart right now.” I felt, rather than saw, James’ eyes on me. _Didn’t believe me when I said I was a vindictive bitch?_ I thought at him. _Believe it, bub. Believe it, because the Queen Bitch is in town, and I seem to have taken all of the safety interlocks off._ My teeth bared in what might charitably be called a smile. 

“Maybe I won’t torture you. Maybe I will,” I almost sing-songed. A part of me was a little scandalised at what I was saying, but it was all worth it to see the fear in Otto’s eyes. I played with the knife, twirling it the way Natasha had showed me a few weeks earlier. “What’s the appropriate reaction, do you think, Mr. Blumenthal, for trying to kill someone’s true love? An eye for an eye?” I glanced at James’ middle, the shirt getting darker and darker as the blood soaked in. My stomach churned as I realised he had been hurt. “Perhaps I should just try and replicate the injury.” The knife darted towards Otto’s middle. Otto actually squeaked. “Maybe I should add interest. After all, it’s not like James tried to kill you first.”

“Eve,” Otto tried, but I cut him off.

“No. You do not get to use my first name. Only friends and family get to do that. You are blackmailing, murderous scum. You will address me by my last name. Or not at all.” I twirled the knife again. “I prefer not at all.” James moved, and I glanced at his face. He looked grim, and I regained a measure of normal. He’d need to get a bandage on that GSW. Stat.

“I don’t need my hands stained with your blood, Blumenthal,” I said casually, dropping the now-closed knife back into the SHIELD agent’s outstretched hand. “On the other hand, do bear in mind that I’m by far the most cuddly of the Avengers and their family. Also the most forgiving.” And with that, I stepped over Spencer’s corpse and attached myself to the side of my supersoldier, making sure he actually leaned on me.

“I can walk,” he protested.

“Of course you can, dear,” I said, walking him over to the EMTs who were scurrying in. “Over here!” I called, waving them over. “But you don’t have to do it alone.” I still wanted to know what had happened, but it could wait until James stopped bleeding. 

 


	77. Chapter 77

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get an explanation... sort of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry for the wait, and that the chapter is a little short. Also, apologies if the formatting is funky - I wrote it on my phone (a sign of how crazy life has been...)  
> I hope you enjoy!

I wanted to wait until James no longer had a still-seeping wound on his left side. I'd even have been willing to wait until we were safely upstairs in the safety of the common room. But no. Barton wanted the whole story. As they were bandaging James' side. And the idiot didn't want to go to the hospital.

 

"I'll be fine," James said to the EMT. "Really - I won't even feel it tomorrow."

 

"Punk'll be healed in three days," Steve agreed, after banding briefly to examine the through and through of the bullet wound. "Just a graze.”

 

"Just a -" I started, but didn't even bother finishing my sentence. James looked up at me. I hadn't sat down - too much nervous energy. It was like five concerts worth of adrenaline had flooded my system at once, and it was all I could do to not start pacing back and forth.

 

"You all right, doll?" James asked, and I saw actual concern on his face. Even though he was the one who'd taken a bullet. _Idiot._

 

"I'm fine," I said, smiling distractedly.

 

"Now everyone's fine," Clint said, coming over and inserting himself into the conversation. "Someone mind telling me what happened? Because I didn't get it all. And that doesn't happen."

 

"Professional pride hurt, Barton?" James asked with a hint of a smile. Clint grunted. James shook his head. "I saw two people arguing in the back of the room, and I saw metal. Looked like a gun, so I sounded the alarm."

 

Clint shook his head, resigned, for once, to not have seen everything. "Nice job, Barnes."

 

"I didn't think about it," James said, looking down. The EMT was still fiddling with bandages. He looked up, a bit shamefaced. "I did half-think I was overreacting, but I guess not."

 

His eyes landed on me again. "Eve?" He asked softly, lifting the metal arm on his good side. "Any chance of company?" The Brooklyn was coming back more and more, I thought as I slid into the bench beside him.

 

"For you, James, always," I breathed into his ear as silently as I could, and his arm tightened around my shoulder.

 

"What happened after that?" Tony asked. He'd been there, watching James get doctored, but had kept unusually silent.

 

"Blumenthal and Coogan were struggling for the gun," james replied, almost clinically. "I guess Coogan wanted to get the gun, because Blumenthal's first shot went straight through his left shoulder." _That explains all the blood. Poor bastard couldn't have conducted again, even if he'd wanted to,_ I thought a bit hysterically. It was starting to dawn on me that Spencer was dead. Really dead, and I'd seen his corpse. His probably still warm corpse, with blood still pooling around it, and I'd stepped over it like it was nothing. _As if James was ever a monster. No - that’s me. The girl who didn't even notice the corpse of her ex-lover and instead threatened the life of someone else._ But James was still speaking. "Blumenthal shot Coogan, then turned the gun on me. He’s not exactly a great shot, but he winged me." I could see the look of disdain on James' face even in profile. "And I couldn't exactly let him continue to shoot, especially not with Eve there. So I went over there and incapacitated him."

 

"Punk." Steve said it fondly. "You do know we were there too, if you needed backup."

 

"As if you wouldn't have done exactly the same thing, jerk," James shot back, grinning.

 

Then Tony stepped forward, more serious than I'd ever seen him, and extended a hand. "You saved Eve's - my daughter's - life. I'm... Thank you. I owe you. Tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you.  Except for Pepper. She's mine. And Dum-E. Want a suit? I can make that happen."

 

My jaw dropped.

 

"Pops," I breathed, but the men ignored me. Of course.

 

"Seeing Eve safe is all the thanks I need, Stark," James said, shaking Tony's hand with the hand not around my shoulder. He looked at me.

 

 _I am not crying, I am not crying._ The pressure behind my eyes was almost blinding, but I blinked hard a few times, and kissed my soldier on the cheek. "I love you, James Buchanan Barnes," I said, one hand still cupping his face. _No matter how many times I say it, it'll never be enough. But somehow, I’m ok with that._

 

"I love you too, Evelyn Bates," he said, giving me a proper kiss on the lips, mouth warm and soft. "Now go give your father a hug. I think he needs it."

 

"You got it, Sarge," I grinned and stepped into Tony's embrace.

 

Tony always gave the best hugs - bear hugs, which felt like you were cocooned in safety. But this one was different. He seemed to hold onto me like he was scared I'd disappear, grip so tight it was almost painful. So my hands patted his back gently, trying to calm him. I wasn’t used to this Tony, the one who was scared for my safety. Not that I minded.

 

"I'm here, Pops. I'm safe, I'm here. We're all fine." His arms tightened, and my ribs actually creaked.

 

"Are you sure you don't have any other crazy exes lying around?" Tony asked when he released me, the usual snark back in his tone. And if his eyes were overbright, no one mentioned it.

 

"Just the one," I said, looking over to the patch of red where Spencer had died. They'd moved his body when I wasn't paying attention. "Just the one."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I wrote a oneshot the other day, if you'd be interested in checking it out - I need something other than this to restart my writing muscles. So I wrote a Pietro oneshot. Go figure... Anyway, it's called Not Too Fast if you want to read it. Link is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/3957097
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading!!


	78. Chapter 78

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otto has his say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're nearing the end. It's been such a joy to write this story, and I've been shocked and delighted by the number of people who have liked and read and commented on it (I'm getting all verklempt as I type this...)
> 
> So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so much. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Stonegirl77

The next few days were a blur. The press were worse than ever, but thanks to Tony and James, I walked around in a bit of a bubble, albeit a bubble created by multiple suited gentlemen who ferried me from one place to another. And when I went for a run, I was accompanied by Steve and Sam. And I was pretty sure at least two other people were watching me. But I couldn’t bring myself to protest too loudly - it made James and Tony feel better, and I had a feeling they weren’t exactly handling my having been in danger very well. James clung to me while we were asleep, and kept a wary eye on me while he was awake. And Tony aided and abetted. I was pretty sure it was only my alliance with JARVIS that had ensured Tony never actually saw what happened when James and I finally made it home. 

 

Right now, though, I was content. I was snuggled into James’ side on our usual space in the Tower’s common room, and my family was around me. “Hey - this isn’t Blade Runner,” Sam complained. I’d been playing with James’ hair, as it was getting long again, and I hadn’t noticed that anything particular was on the big screen. So I turned my head, my hand drifting to James’ shoulder.

“Why the hell is he on our TV?” I demanded. It was a still of Otto, sitting in a room very much like the one I’d initially found James in, months ago. Except that I felt absolutely no compassion for the man sitting at the table. James’ arm, already around my shoulder, tightened. I looked around for Steve. Or Tony. Or Clint. Or someone to strangle. Some small part of me was surprised by how suddenly furious I’d become, but it was too small for it to make any difference in my reaction.

Clint was to our right. I glared. “Agent Barton. I repeat. What. The ever loving hell. Is _THAT_. Doing on our TV?”

“There’s something you and Barnes should see,” Clint replied, laconically. _Just you wait, Barton,_ I thought. _I have Natasha on my side. You’ll find something unpleasant in your bed. Soon._

“So let’s see it,” James said, just as calmly. I snuck a glance at him. He seemed unaffected at first, but when my eyes lingered, I saw the almost deadness in his eyes, and the subtle twitch of his jaw as it tightened. I pressed myself closer to him in a show of silent solidarity. He looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. _You ok?_ It said. 

I smiled. _Ok if you are,_ that smile meant. “Let’s see it, Hawkass,” I told Barton, still a little ticked at the man.

“Man, you Starks know how to hurt a man,” Clint said, mouth pulling into a half-smile. “Hawkass. Seriously?”

“It’s a classic,” I shot back. “They never go out of style.”

“Sure. Sure.” The video had been playing as we spoke, but now the door opened and Natasha walked in.  _So they let Natasha do the interview,_ I mused. _SHIELD must have been pissed. Not that I’m complaining._ The spy had dressed in business casual, a white buttonfront and a pencil skirt - presumably to convince Otto she was just a lackey. _But if anyone thinks Natasha is a lackey after spending thirty seconds in her company, they’re an idiot._

“Mr. Blumenthal,” she said, sitting in the chair opposite. “You’ve been very forthcoming with our other investigators. Care to share any of that information with me?” Her tone was honey-sweet, and I could almost feel Otto wanting to impress her. _Wow, Nat - You are certainly good at what you do._

“Why should I?” Otto said, apparently feeling he should put up some kind of token resistance. “As you said, I’ve already told the other people everything.” I could hear the hints of an old German accent in Otto for the first time - why had I never noticed it before? I made a mental note to pay closer attention to the people in my life. _Especially if they go around trying to kill the people I love._

“This is the last time,” Natasha promised. “We want the definitive version, which, unfortunately, Mr. Blumenthal, means asking you to tell it several times. In case any details vary.”

“In that case,” Otto grumbled, bureaucratic tendencies showing. “I suppose I will oblige you.” He cleared his throat. “I was born in Germany. In Bayreuth. Home of Wagner - the worst man in music. It is incredible to me that the man ever composed a note of good music, as his soul was so rotten.”

He waved a hand. “But you are not here to listen to my feelings on Wagner. No. You wish to hear my thoughts on the man who killed my family. I was six at the time. My parents were working at the University - a pair of intellectuals, I know now, with their heads in the clouds. They instilled in me a love for great music, always taking me to concerts before the war, and then hoarding records for us to listen to late into the night. 

“One day, I was coming back from school - I walked there and back myself, of course - those were different times, my dear - when I saw my parents walking down the street, coming towards me. There were elderflower bushes to one side of the street, and I hid in them, wanting to surprise them - it was a favourite game of mine. So I saw everything.

“My parents were not three metres away from me, and I was getting ready to spring out when that man came running around a corner. I remember the metal arm, sparkling in the sun - I didn’t realise it was a prosthetic, at first. No, I only realised that much later, when I grew up. I remember wanting an arm like that, thinking that thought, then realising there was a knife in the man’s hand. The hand descended once, twice, and then my parents were on the ground, blood seeping into the tarmac.”

My arms, already wrapped around James’ waist, tightened. _Poor James. This must be killing him._ I glanced at his face, which was filled with pain, and I was glad. _And isn’t that such a depressing thing to be glad about? That James is better off feeling pain, because that means he’s not Wintering out? Dear Lord, this situation is so screwed up._ I let my head rest on his shoulder as Otto’s face contorted into anger on the screen.

“They weren’t doing anything,” he said, voice rasping as his control started to crack. “They were simply walking. And they wouldn’t have told anyone about what they’d seen, if he’d simply asked - there were far too many people trying to hide, in those days. Everyone knew someone who had run, or who was going to try. But no. They had seen him, so they had to die. 

“By the time I had reached their side, they were dead. I was left, at age six, with only distant relatives. A stranger found me that evening, lying next to my mother, covered in her blood. My great-uncle, who was my closest relative, was in New York, so I was sent to him, smuggled through France and England and finally to America. I grew up telling people my parents had been killed in the war. It was true, in a way, and I mostly forgot about the man with the metal arm.

“Until the gala, when Eve danced with a man whose face seemed… too familiar.”  He grimaced. “We were keeping an eye on her that night, Yves and I. That scumbag of an ex of hers was going to be introduced to New York society, and we both wanted to protect her. Not that she needed it of course.” His face darkened. “And not that she deserved it, in the end.”

It was James’ turn for his hold to tighten. We both knew why Otto didn’t think I deserved protection. “I didn’t recognise him at first. Not that evening, anyway. It was maybe a week later, when Coogan came into my office ranting and raving about being replaced by a bionic man that I made the connection. The man Eve had danced with was the same man who had killed my parents. It had to be. That was when I started to manipulate Spencer.

“He was so ripe for it, too. He wanted to hurt Eve, to hurt her for dumping him, to get his revenge on her, so it was easy to turn his anger onto the soldier. Not that it wasn’t there already. I think he felt a bit inadequate. Moreso than usual. But it does no good to speak ill of the dead.

“We sent the blackmail note - I had been saving money, but since I found out about the soldier, I had been more obvious about it, and Yves had noticed. He confronted me a week ago, saying he would have to go to the authorities unless I put everything back. I was afraid I’d need to kill him too, which would be a shame. The man is certainly good at his job. 

“But I digress. Spencer thought the money was to replace the funds from the opera - if we were paid, which I doubted, I would use the money to get away. And then I’d expose the soldier anyway. But I doubted that would happen. You see, I knew Eve quite well by then, and I knew that she didn’t like bullies. Spencer, as in so many other things, was oblivious to this fact. So I figured that, if she knew about the soldier and what he had done and someone threatened him, then she would come clean. Of course, I was right, and I heard about the gigantic press conference. Everyone did.

“I’d gone and got myself a handgun, unregistered, of course. Not that I’d had a chance to practice much with it, but I guessed I could handle it. Point and shoot. That was my major miscalculation.” He smirked. “Everyone is allowed one, correct?”

“Spencer and I smuggled ourselves into the press conference - I had a few spare press badges from my days at the New York Times. Spencer thought my plan was to kill the soldier - Barnes. I saw no reason to correct him.” Otto was smiling now, but there was absolutely no feeling there. _He was a sociopath the entire time,_ I thought, blood running a bit cold. _How the hell did I never notice?_ “No. I didn’t want to kill the soldier. Because I’d seen him around Eve a few times, and I’d noticed something. The soldier loved the girl. And since he’d killed loved ones of mine, the symmetry was too good to resist. I planned to kill her instead. Unfortunately, Spencer saw my point of aim and went for the gun. It went off into his shoulder, and the soldier saw it.”

“The rest you know, miss,” he said, addressing Natasha directly. “I was bested by the soldier, and Eve is safe.” He chuckled. “She even threatened to kill me. Little girl.” I growled. _I would have killed you, you miserable little bastard. You incompetent little twit - couldn’t even shoot straight. Someone could have been killed!_

Clint pushed pause. Silence reigned supreme for a full thirty seconds. 

“Shit.” It was Steve. I turned, not sure what I was feeling, to stare at the man. 

“You know that’s the first time I’ve heard you swear?” I asked. I didn’t recognise my voice. It was too calm. It had to be someone else. Because I’d just heard that Otto had wanted to kill me. That he’d plotted my death with as much dispassion as his project to hurt James and then disappear. I should be feeling more than… what? Shock? Yes. Fear? 

Actually no. Why would I be afraid, when I was surrounded by the most deadly family a person could have? 

I turned to James. The self-loathing I expected was there, along with a tad more rage than I was expecting. I returned my hand to his hair, turning a strand along one finger. _You’re ok,_ I tried to say without words. _You’re ok, I’m ok. We got through it, and just because the Soldier killed two people years ago does not excuse Otto trying to kill us both now. You’re not to blame._ “Hey Barnes,” I whispered in his ear. He jerked his head, cheekbone connecting with my nose a bit harder than either of us expected.

“Oh, Christ, Eve, I’m sorry!” I chuckled, my hands over my nose, which was throbbing a bit. 

“Doesn’t matter, love. No harm, no foul.” I inspected my hands, which were clean. “See, look? No blood.” James leaned closer, a bit more slowly, and kissed the tip of my nose. I shivered, that mere touch sending sparks all the way down my spine. 

“I’m sorry,” James said again, and I could tell he wasn’t apologising for the nose anymore. 

“I don’t blame you. As far as I’m concerned, this one’s all on Otto. You know that, right?” I asked, wanting him to hear it, for him to hear me say it.

He closed his eyes, then nodded once. “I know.” He opened his eyes, and I was lost in them. “I sure as hell don’t deserve you,” he said.

“No Stark Jr. PDA while Stark Sr. is here to see it,” Tony carolled, walking in, completely breaking the spell. I flipped Tony off, then leaned in and kissed my soldier. One of his hands went into my hair, tilting my head to find the proper angle, the other went around my waist, pulling me even closer. 

I tried to keep the kiss relatively PG. I tried. But my hands seemed to have a life of their own, exploring the muscles in James’ back, pulling him as close as he was pulling me. The hand around my waist hit bare skin, and I bit his lower lip in retaliation, his mouth opening in reflex. 

That was when Steve decided to cough. Loudly. We broke apart. 

“As much fun as it is to watch you two swapping bodily fluids,” Clint said, “I like having new arrows to play with, which means Stark needs to not commit suicide.” Tony was behind Clint, miming being hanged. I just grinned at them both. 

“Well,” James breathed in my ear, voice low and rumbling in his chest. “Shall we find our way home?”

“We won’t make it that far,” I whispered back. “Let’s grab the guest house.” I stood, pulling James up with me. “As much fun as this has been, and as much as I want to delight in Harrison Ford and Blade Runner with you all, we’ve gotta go. Call us if the world is ending.”

“Actually, not even then,” James said, broad grin matching mine. The grin should have been a clue, because half a second later, I was scooped up bridal style and being carried to the elevator.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, yes, there will be smut next chapter - I need to edit it, but it's coming...


	79. Chapter 79

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut. 'nough said.

As soon as we got into the elevator, James had me pinned against a door and was kissing down my neck.

“Where am I taking you?” JARVIS asked. _Stupid snarky AI,_ I thought, then gasped as James hit the particularly sensitive spot between my neck and my collarbone.

“Guest wing, J,” I managed to say. “As if you didn’t know. And then lock it down.”

“As you wish, Eve,” J replied. James growled against my neck.

“That pile of electronics knows you’re mine, right?” he asked, sucking on the spot that had make me gasp earlier. 

I moaned. “He knows,” I managed. “But why don’t you prove it to me.” The doors dinged softly and opened. James pulled away and I shivered at the hunger I saw there.

“As you wish, Eve,” he said, and picked me up once again. Apparently he didn’t need to see, because he was kissing me as we moved through the apartment to his bedroom. _Why do we need two bedrooms in this place again?_ I wondered absently, then lost all concentration as James licked a stripe under my jaw. I started to kiss up and down his collarbone as payback, James moving quicker and cursing as I pushed his shirt aside and kissed along the scar tissue along his arm.

Then I was deposited on the bed and James was towering above me, pulling his shirt off. I scrambled to do the same, unwilling to tear my eyes from his bare chest as I fumbled with my own buttons. He climbed onto the bed and replaced my hands with his, ignoring the buttons entirely and just ripping the shirt off. 

“It’s a good thing I love you,” I told him as he kissed my now-bare shoulder, helping me ease the shirt off my arms. “I liked that shirt.”

“Tony can buy you another,” he mumbled, pushing the bra strap off my shoulder. “You look better without anyway.” 

I blushed, and reached behind me for my bra clasp. 

“You do,” James said, between kisses that migrated down past my collarbones and onto my now-exposed breasts. “You’re beautiful, Eve,” he said, I hissed as he grazed a nipple with his metal hand, the chill of the metal sending ripples down to my already-heated abdomen. 

“Not so bad… yourself,” I said, not able to do much except lie there and let James continue his explorations. “The first time I saw you in a tux - Christ!” James had just suckled on a nipple. “I wanted to rip it off.”

“That red dress,” James grinned against my skin. “I loved it. And hated it.” His hands slipped lower, fiddling with the zipper of my jeans. “I wanted you then - I wanted to take you and slip away from the party, flip that pretty skirt up and make you forget anyone’s name but mine.”

“James,” I whispered, shocked and very much aroused. _Who knew James was so good at dirty talk?_ I wondered as James kissed down my belly and back up, not even approaching the place I was starting to get very warm. _He’s got exactly the right voice for it too - all smokey smooth._ “You know I would have let you, right?”

“You would?” he mumbled, finally easing my jeans and my underwear off as one, slipping away from me.

“I would,” I said, trying not to miss his warmth too much. After all, the loss was only temporary. “I would have let you fuck me into next week.”

The jeans were in a corner and I was suddenly under the supersoldier. “Now there’s a promise,” he growled, hips rolling into mine as I moaned. His hands were suddenly everywhere, at my breasts, along my waist, pulling at my head to expose my neck, and I dissolved into a mass of sensation at his touch. 

So much was I turned on by his touches that I didn’t notice his metal hand’s absence until one finger pushed slowly inside of me.

“How did you imagine I would take you?” James asked - it was clearly a rhetorical question, because he continued talking as his finger eased in and out of me slowly, inexorably, thumb brushing my clit on the way out. I could feel his erection on my thigh through his jeans, although he seemed in no hurry to take care of it. “Would I take you slowly?” My moans were growing louder, and I didn’t have it in me to care as James added a second finger to the first. “Would I have been gentle? Or would I have taken you hard? Fucked you into the mattress?”

“Christ,” I moaned. “James!”

“Yes?” My eyes were closed, but even so I could feel the grin he had on his face. 

I snapped my eyes open, holding his gaze with mine. “Fuck me. Now.” My hands were at his belt, unbuckling and loosening the leather as he continued to finger me. 

“As you wish,” he breathed, and when I fumbled with his pants button, he replaced my hands with one of his, undoing the button and releasing the zipper. Then my hands were at work again, pushing the jeans off almost frantically. I was close - so close to orgasm, and when James pulled away to undress, I actually whimpered. I might have been embarrassed, but the proud flash in James’ eyes wouldn’t let me be. His jeans hit the wall, much in the same way mine had done earlier, and James slipped out of his boxers, cock springing free as the fabric slipped down his legs and off. 

He started to head for the bedside table, but I stopped him.

“No,” I said, moving to prop myself on my elbows. His eyebrows raised. “I talked to Banner. I’m on the pill.”

“Are you sure?” I rolled my eyes, smiling. He was adorable, this man of mine.

“Of course I’m sure. Unless you’d rather wear a condom?”

His grin widened. “Oh, doll, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“Promises, promises,” I teased right back. 

And then I had an armful of soldier again and I was so very far from complaining. “Promises I intend to keep, doll,” he said, voice entirely Brooklyn as he rested his weight on his hands on either side of my face. “Now. Fuck you into next week, was it?”

I nodded, not quite able to speak with him looking at me like I was dessert. Then I moaned, James filling me with one thrust. 

“Tell me if I hurt you,” he said, hips snapping as he thrust in and out of me. My hips rolled in tandem, and I was awash with sensation, knees on either side of his hips. 

“So so very far.. From hurting,” I gasped, bringing his face down to mine and crashing our lips together. “More.”

“As my lady wishes,” James said, words at odds with the almost brutal pace he was setting. My hands were at his back at this point, trying to bring him closer, trying to find something to hold onto. I was hurtling towards release, and I wanted to bring him with me. 

I felt the tightening in my middle that meant I was reaching the point of no return. “Love you,” I said between moans. James’ hips rolled once more, out of rhythm, and I was gone, shouting his name as I spasmed. James wasn’t far behind, even more warmth spreading into my middle as he found his release and he relaxed on top of me.

I loved this man. I loved all of him, his sweaty bulk on top of me, the metal arm, the tortured past, the fiercely protective, absurdly gentle man he was. Somehow ‘I love you’ just wasn’t enough to encompass all of that. But it was all I had.

“I love you,” I murmured, pressing a lazy kiss to his forehead resting on the pillow next to mine. 

“I love you,” he replied, scooting over so not all of his weight was on top of me. “As long as I live.”

“Forever,” I agreed, kissing him properly. _Forever isn’t exactly long enough,_ I thought as he wrapped his arms around me again and pulled me closer. _But I suppose it’ll have to do._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed - as you can see, I've figured out how many more chapters this is going to be - one more, then an epilogue, which you can all thank touaregprincess for (she's the one who came up with the idea)
> 
> As always, you are all the most special snowflakes, and thanks for reading!!


	80. Chapter 80

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter.

Six Months Later

 

“Remind me why Tall, Dark and Handsome isn’t here?” Tony said once I’d hugged him, hugged Steve, and climbed into the car.

I shook my head. “Dunno - James said he had something important to do, so he couldn’t pick me up.” Tony shot me a look. “He’s picked me up every other time I’ve come home,” I reminded my father. “He’s allowed to miss one.” _Even though I really want to know why he couldn’t,_ I grumped, all to myself. _He wasn’t exactly forthcoming when we talked about it._ I gazed out the car window, enjoying the sight of the city growing nearer. 

“Good to be home, Eve?” Steve asked, turning to catch my eye. 

I smiled at him. Any animosity we’d felt towards each other had long since disappeared, and we were now close friends - I’d even helped wingwoman him when he finally asked out Agent Hill. Of course she said yes. “Yeah,” I sighed, looking out the window again. “So good to be home. I can’t wait to get back to the Tower, kick off my shoes, and grab a nap.”

“No sleep on the plane?” That was Tony, grimacing in sympathy.

“Nope, not this time,” I said, rubbing my eyes. Sleeping on planes was always hit or miss for me, and I’d barely managed 2 hours total on the flights back from Sydney. “Seriously. Kiss the boyfriend, shower, bed. Possibly not in that order.”

The men both chuckled. “You still up for game night Friday?” Steve asked. He’d started it as a team-building activity - I’d wanted to kill the person who introduced him to Tabletop - the games always took three times as long as they were supposed to, and Tony and Clint always won. Even the damn cooperative games.

I nodded, though. “Wouldn’t miss it,” I said. “Even though I’ll want to claw Clint’s eyes out. What are we playing?”

“Munchkin.” Tony said with a smile. 

I groaned, grinning at him. “Again? Really? Winning that game the last two times we’ve played it isn’t enough for you?”

“Never, oh daughter of mine,” Tony said, leaning back in his seat. “Never. And to the winner go the spoils.”

“And those would be?”

Tony’s grin grew wider. “We’re playing for a night on the town this week - an evening out - guaranteed no callouts, no emergencies.”

“You adorable romantic man,” I said, slapping him gently on the shoulder. “You want to take Pepper out, don’t you?”

Tony avoided my gaze. “Maybe I want to make sure Cap finally gets some? Or use it to spoil you?”

“I do just fine,” I said complacently, thinking of the man I was very anxious to see once again, and what I’d do with him once I found him. “And I’m sure Steve isn’t anything less than a gentleman,” I continued, glancing up front towards the blonde. 

He blushed - it was slight, but I caught it. I stored the information away for later use. I wasn’t about to tease him in front of Tony - not even I was that cruel, but I had nothing against needling him in private. _Oh, so you haven’t been the perfect gentleman, Stevie?_ I thought, amused. _I wonder what Maria will tell me, once I’ve had a chance to corner her._

 

 

 

 

“Welcome back, Eve,” JARVIS greeted as we stepped into the elevator. “Captain Rogers, Sir.”

“Good to hear your voice, J,” I said. 

“Sargent Barnes has left a message for you,” the AI continued. “Shall I play it for you?”

“Of course,” I said, frowning as I felt the elevator going down, not up. 

“Hi, doll,” James’ voice said, a bit higher pitched than usual - maybe an artefact of the recording? “I’m asking J to play this for you when you get back, so I’m sorry, again, for not meeting you at the plane. I’ll explain later, promise. But could you meet me where we first met? Love you, Eve. Can’t wait to see you.”

The doors opened, and we were in the basement again - the same level I’d come to when I’d first met James, the level I hadn’t set foot in since he’d moved into the Tower proper. 

“Apologies for not asking your preferred destination,” JARVIS said. “I anticipated you would wish to see the Sargent.”

“You weren’t wrong, J,” I muttered, then turned to Steve and Tony. “You guys coming?”

Tony backed up a step, shaking his head. “Oh no. No. I saw you two the last time Barnes got back from a mission. I don’t want to have to invest in brain bleach again.” 

Steve shook his head. “Go on, Eve. Have fun.”

I waved, and the doors closed. My violin case clicked as I walked along the corridor, still as grey as ever. “I wonder what he’s got planned,” I muttered. I’d been alone for two weeks, and the whole talking-to-myself habit had turned into more of a neurosis. I reached the appropriate white-painted door and knocked, except the door wasn’t properly closed and swung open at the slightest touch.

“Hello?” I said, opening the door the rest of the way and poking my head through. “James?” 

The room was exactly the way I’d remembered it. The bed was still in the corner, made neatly. The prints were still on the walls. The chair was in the other corner, and the bedside table still had - I went over, spotting a difference.

Instead of one photo on the table, there were two. One was James and Steve from their Howling Commandos days, arms slung around each other’s shoulders, the pair grinning into camera. The other one was newer, put into a simple black frame, and I picked it up. It was us, James and I, sitting snuggled together on the beach at Tony’s house in Malibu. Pepper had taken the picture a few months earlier, and it was my favourite of the two of us. I was wearing an old hoodie and cutoffs, leaning into James’ hold, staring into the ocean. James had his flesh and blood arm curled around my shoulder, pulling me into his side. Pepper had taken the photo when he’d bent his head just slightly to kiss the top of my head. I smiled, remembering that night, how chilly it had been, and how much I’d enjoyed having James’ warmth to curl into that evening. 

 _What are you doing, James?_ I wondered. I might have thought further, but I jumped when a projector in the ceiling lit up, and a movie began to play. I turned, recognising the final scene of ‘The Shop Around the Corner’, the first movie James and I had watched together. I did my best not to think, to just enjoy the scene where Mr. Kralek and Miss Novak admit their love to one another, for I was certain that if I thought too much, and my conclusions weren’t correct - it wouldn’t end well. The credits began to play, and I stood up from where I’d sat on the edge of the bed, violin dropped to rest behind me, wondering what else was in store.

But instead of the rest of the credits, there was a slide show. Pictures, of James and me. There were snapshots of the gala, of James in his tux and me in the red dress, of us dancing, of the whole Avengers family laughing and talking, pictures of us all relaxing at the Tower, where I was always next to James - how hadn’t I noticed, back then, all the times we’d sat closer to each other than anyone else? There were pictures of us I didn’t even know existed, a few paparazzi shots of us in the park, or getting breakfast, and candids that I didn’t know had been taken, like the time we’d both passed out during movie night a month ago - I remembered waking up with only James’ arm stopping me from falling nose-first into the carpet. 

Then the door swung all the way open again, and James stood there, in his dress uniform. _Don’t think,_ I told myself firmly, although I was already getting a bit overwhelmed. _Don’t think, don’t think, don’t think._ And then I had practically catapulted myself into his arms, throwing my own around his neck and kissing him soundly. He made a noise of surprise, then grinned against my lips and began to kiss me back, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me close.

“Hi,” he said, once we’d stopped kissing long enough to breathe a little.

“Hi,” I replied. I hugged him tight. “Missed you,” I said against his shoulder.

“I missed you too,” he said, blue eyes almost overbright. _What the hell is going on?_

“What’s with the uniform?” I asked, glancing down at the wool and epaulets that were all I could see of his jacket.

“Well,” he said, and let me go, stepping back and further into the room. “It occurred to me that it might be appropriate to wear it.” 

And then he sank to one knee, pulling a small black box out of his pocket. “Eve Bates. I’ve wanted to protect you since the second I met you, and I started to fall for you the first time you told me it was ok to not have an opinion about something - that although I could decide everything for myself, it was ok not to, sometimes.” I was already seeing him through a layer of tears. _Oh my god._

“I love you, and I still can’t quite believe you love me back.” I started to scoff, but he kept talking. “And I want to fall asleep next to you every night we can possibly manage it. I want you tokeep making me watch movies so I understand all your weird references, and I want to take you dancing, and have kids, and grow old with you. 

“So, Eve Bates - would you do me the honour of giving me your hand in marriage?” 

“Of course,” I managed, smiling and crying. And then James had his arms wrapped around me again, holding me as if I was something infinitely precious. 

“I love you, Eve,” he whispered, and I turned my face to kiss him.

“I love you too, James,” I replied. I smiled, still in shock. I had a fiance? James was my fiance? It was all too unreal, too good to be true. This kind of thing didn’t happen to me. Except that it just had. The man in his dress uniform, handsome, with eyes I loved to drown in, who was both strong and infinitely gentle, was mine. Was about to be mine more permanently. _If this is a dream, I never want to wake up,_ I thought, shifting my weight just a bit and feeling the ring box still in James’ hand.

“May I see the ring?” I asked, and James chuckled, popping open the box with one hand - he’d clearly practiced the move - and I gasped. 

It was a diamond solitaire, a beautifully, almost archaically cut diamond, set in a more modern setting. _Oh wow,_ I thought, staring at the ring that would be on my finger for the rest of my life. _It’s beautiful._

“I’m glad you think so,” James said gently, and I knew I must have said the last bit out loud. “The stone was my mom’s, but Pepper helped get it put in a new setting.”

“I love it,” I whispered, worried that if I spoke any louder, my voice would crack. “Can you… do I have to put it on?” 

“I think I could do that,” James said, taking my right hand in his. _Amazing man,_ I thought, watching the ring slide onto my finger. _He even remembered which hand._ We’d had the talk about violinists and rings a few months earlier, I remembered vaguely, and I’d told him that any rings I wore were invariably on my right hand, because they tended to click against my violin if I wore them on the other hand. _What was that - seven weeks ago?_ I wondered, leaning into him and admiring the ring and how it fit on my hand.

“So….” A familiar voice drawled as the door swung open once more. Tony stood in the doorway, broad grin on his face. “He pop the question yet?”

_Of course they all knew._

I held up my hand in answer, and Tony’s grin threatened to split his face in half. “I’m happy for ya, kiddo,” he said, coming over and giving first me, then James a hug.

“Tony!” Pepper said, sticking her head in the room as well. “You know you can’t just butt in on them, right?”

“Come on in, Aunt Pep,” I said, giving her a hug too. “Thanks - for the ring.”

“It was all Barnes,” she said. “I just helped finding a jeweller.”

“Whatever you say.”

“Congrats!” Steve made his way into the room, followed by Nat and Clint, Sam and Maria, and suddenly the room was filled with people giving their congratulations.

My eyes met James’, and I couldn’t help but smile. This, this was perfection. A fiance I adored, a family I loved, and a home no one could take away from me.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not totally happy with it, but I've rewritten it a few times, and I think it's as good as it's gonna get. I hope you enjoy, and I hope it did our lovebirds justice.
> 
> So there's an epilogue I have half-written after this, but that was the story, guys. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you liked the story, and thank you for all the lovely comments! You are all, may I say, marvellous. (pun intended.)


	81. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That's all, folks!
> 
> This scene's set two and a half years after James proposed. Hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I finally decided I had to woman up and get this posted - I put off writing the ending for the longest time because I wanted to give Eve and James the perfect ending. (Breaking news: My writing is so very far from perfect...)
> 
> This is the best I could come up with, and I'd like to say thanks from me again for staying with this until the end, and I am so sorry that this took so long.
> 
> I love you all very much!!!

I was in pain. I’d accepted it, planned for it, but the reality wasn’t any less comfortable for the preparation. 

“Where _are_ they?” I asked Pepper, who was checking her phone for the fifth time in two minutes. She looked over at me and smiled distractedly.

“They’ll be here,” she assured me. “And your labour has hardly started yet - they’ve got time.”

“Unhelpful,” I snorted. “Sorry, Pep.” I really hadn’t meant to snap at my aunt. But the whole going-into-labour-when-your-father-and-husband-aren’t-here was doing a number on my already fractured emotional state.

“I know, dear, don’t worry.” Pepper smoothed some hair back from my forehead. 

“How’s it going?” Natasha asked, entering the room with her usual grace.

“Slowly,” I said, face contorting as the latest contraction hit. “But as far as I’m concerned, he can take as long as he likes getting here, because his dad and granddad are determined to miss the event.”

Pepper’s phone beeped, and she glanced at it. “I’ll be right back,” she said, sweeping out of the room.

“So, have you come up with a name yet?” Natasha said, coming to sit next to me.

“We thought about Steven, for Steve, but that was too confusing,” I said, accepting the distraction gratefully. “Or something like Toby, or Michael.” Natasha made a face. “Exactly.” I looked down at my now-gargantuan belly. “But I think we’ve settled on Alex. Alexander Steven Barnes.”

Natasha smiled at me. “I like it.”

“If it was a girl, she would have been Claire Natasha,” I told her. “That was the easy one.” Natasha kissed me on the forehead. 

“You’ll be a great mom,” she said, face as open as I’d ever seen it.

“And James will be a great dad,” I replied, not exactly sure I agreed with her, “Assuming he ever gets here.” At which point, of course, my husband practically dashed through the doors, expression panicked.

“Eve? Are you ok? Is the baby here yet?” He ran from one question to the next before I could even say hello. “Any problems? Has the doctor seen you yet?”

“James,” I said - he just kept talking. “James?” Still babble. My next contraction hit and I grimaced again. They were getting closer together - that was good, right? At least that shut him up, and he was next to me in an instant, Natasha conceding her place at my bedside. 

“Hi, love,” I said, taking his hand in mine. “Glad to see you back safe.”

“He practically killed the pilot,” Tony said, coming in at a slightly more sedate pace. “Right after he told us that we might need to refuel.”

“You were just as pissed as me,” James said, voice still stressed.

“Well, you’re both here now,” I said, amused in spite of myself that I was playing peacemaker even though I was the one in labour. _Guess the mothering duties start early,_ I mused. “And I assume there were no bodies to dispose of?”

James shook his head, kissing me on the temple. “Nope - the guy got us here with some time to spare - I owe him a bottle of Stark’s scotch.”

“Fair enough,” I said, as Tony made a gagging noise in the corner. 

“So, how’s it going?” Tony asked, coming over.

“Been here for about two hours,” I said with a sigh, “Contractions are getting closer together - the OB came by about fifteen minutes ago, but I wasn’t in any hurry to get going until you two got here. Neither was Alex, apparently.”

James looked at my belly in absolute adoration. The kid wasn’t even born yet, and yet the baby had his dad wrapped around his little finger. “You wanted to wait for your dad, huh Alex?” he asked, rubbing my belly.

I leaned into my husband. “You know, for a minute there I was afraid you weren’t going to make it.” I was relaxing, now they were both here, getting impatient to meet Alex. James put an arm around my shoulders.

“Wouldn’t miss this for anything,” he said. Tony came over, sitting on my other side. 

“You bet, kiddo.”

 

 

 

Eight hours later.

“Welcome to the world, Alex,” I whispered down to the little bundle. It had taken longer than I’d hoped, but it was so worth it, to have this little miracle in my arms.

“Hi Alex,” James said, half-sitting on the bed next to me, staring down at his son. “I’m your dad.”

“Want to hold him, Dad?” I asked, not really wanting to let Alex go, but wanting James to have a chance to hold him. 

“Can I?” James was transfixed, and I smiled. My two boys.

“Of course you can,” I said, lifting Alex up from my chest carefully - he was so small! “He’s your son.”

“My son,” James breathed, accepting Alex from me. “We should tell the others.”

“The doc went to get them, remember?” I said, “They’ll be here soon enough.” James cradled Alex to his chest, rocking the newborn gently. He glanced back at me, then back to the baby.

“You know, Alex,” he said, stroking the baby’s forehead with one gentle finger. “Your mom’s pretty special. She puts up with me, for one thing. And she’s strong, and she’s smart, and she’s brave. She plays violin, but you know that already, don’t you? You must have heard her. And she loves you. So much.”

I sat up gingerly, resting an arm on James’ shoulder for support. “I do love you, sweetie,” I told the baby. “So very very much. But let’s not forget your Daddy here.” I tilted my head so it rested on James’. “He’s strong and brave and smart too. And he helps save the world for a living. He saves people’s lives, Alex. And I couldn’t be prouder of him. Every day.”

“Well aren’t you the cutest?” Sam said, walking into the room. I looked up, startled, and James spun, shielding Alex with his back. He turned back slowly as Sam chuckled. “Sorry for startling you,” he said, not disturbed in the slightest. James gave me Alex back, somewhat reluctantly. 

“So this is him?” Sam asked, coming over. “You look radiant, Eve.”

“I look like sh-“ I started, then stopped. “I don’t look great, let’s say.”

Clint had heard us as he came in, if his grin was any indication. “Yeah, never too early to start learning how to curse, right, kid?” His smile broadened. “Congrats, you two.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Clint. Want to say hi?” Clint nodded, face growing a little less assured. I looked down at Alex, who was still snoozing away. “Alex,” I cooed, still not having mastered the ability to speak normally to my child yet, “meet your Uncle Clint. He’ll probably have you shooting arrows before you can walk, and get you into loads of trouble once you’re older. But he’ll take care of you. Right, Uncle Clint?” I asked, looking up at the archer, who swallowed.

“Of course,” he said softly. “Yeah. Hi Alex - I’m your uncle, I guess.”

“I can’t believe he’s here,” I heard Steve say, and I looked over to see James and Steve on the other side of my bed. I hadn’t even heard the man come in. _Sneaky bastard,_ I thought fondly. _You’d think being built like a tank would make him at least audible._

“Want to hold your godson?” I asked, smiling. Steve looked at me, a little unsure.

“You sure, Eve?”

“I’m trusting you and Tasha to protect him if something happens to James and I,” I reminded him. “I think I can trust you to hold him.” Steve extended his arms and picked up the baby, holding him even more gently than James had, if that were possible. 

“Oh, and did we tell you his full name?” James asked his best friend. Steve just shook his head, staring down at his godson. “Alexander Steven Barnes.” That made Steve’s head turn. 

“Jesus H. Christ, Bucky.” 

“Language, Steven,” James said mildly. “And Eve suggested it.”

Steve looked at me. “Seemed only fair,” I said. “Seeing as without you, James and I might never have met.”

Natasha walked in, smiling at me. “Hello, mom - how’s it going?” Before I could answer, she’d walked up to Steve. “Paws off the godchild, Rogers. I want to hold him.” Steve relinquished Alex to Natasha’s hold. She stilled completely as she settled Alex in her arms. “You and me, Sasha,” she told him, “We’re gonna go places.” I smiled. Natasha was under Alex’s spell too. _He’s going to be the most spoiled, protected child in history. But I wouldn’t have it any other way._

“Proud granddad coming through,” I heard from outside the room, and Tony came in, followed closely by Pepper. He came over and gave me a hug, and I let myself fold into his embrace. Tony still gave the world’s best bear hugs. 

“How ya doing, kiddo?” he asked, surveying my face quickly.

“I’m tired,” I admitted. “But happy - have you seen Alex yet?” Pepper was standing next to Tasha, blocking our view of the baby. I had a moment of panic, and then James was there, asking Natasha for the baby and bringing him over. _He’s so tiny,_ I marveled, watching James handle our son like he was made of glass. _So tiny - I can’t believe he’s finally here._  

Instead of handing him over to me, though, James just sat next to me on the hospital bed. He glanced up at Tony. 

“Hey, Granddad. Ready to meet your grandson?” 

I watched Tony’s expression as he surveyed my son. It was awe, and joy, and I saw tears unshed glistening in his eyes.

“Hiya, kiddo,” he whispered, leaning down to get a better look. “I’m your grandpa.”

There were tears in my eyes too as I gazed at them, Alex safe in James’ arms, Tony bent almost double to count every single finger. My three men, all together. 

“And how are you really?” Pepper asked, coming to stand on my other side.

“I’m perfect, Aunt Pep,” I said, leaning into her. “Absolutely perfect.”

 


	82. DELETED SCENE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I was going through my files the other day and I found this one - I wrote it at some point before the plot did a change on me - Eve and James were supposed to have more time when they initially got together to keep it secret.
> 
> So without further ado, I present "Eve goes shopping with Pepper and Nat".
> 
> Hope y'all like it!

"Eve?" Pepper asked, and my head snapped up from the sweater dress I'd been examining. Or, to put it better, the dress I'd been pretending to examine. My mind had been elsewhere, replaying the previous evening. James and I had started watching Buffy, and the evening had ended with James kissing up and down my neck. I pulled absently at the scarf I'd worn to cover the hickey he'd left. We seemed to be doing that a lot lately, starting to watch something and ending up kissing on the couch. “Eve!” Pepper said again.

"Huh? Sorry, what?"

"What's gotten into you today? Is there something wrong at work?"

"No, no, I'm good, Aunt Pepper, really," I said. "Sorry, I'm just a little distracted today."

"I like the scarf," Natasha said, slinking out of the dressing room in a stunning blue sheath dress.

"Oh, thanks," I said automatically, then yelped as the Russian pulled it off my neck. I could see Pepper's eyes zoom in on my hickey.

"Have a good time last night?" Natasha asked. For a mostly emotionless spy, Natasha seemed to take absolute joy in messing with the team's love lives. I blushed, I know I did.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said, turning to examine another rack of clothes.

Pepper took one look at my face and stopped. 

“Eve?” The way she said my name was strange. It wasn’t a who’s-the-guy? Eve or a why-didn’t-you-say-anything? Eve. It was an are-you-ok? Eve, an is-everything-all-right? Eve, a do-I-need-to-make-someone-disappear? Eve. She turned me and put a finger underneath my chin, inspecting the hickey. 

“Does that interfere with your playing?” she asked almost clinically. 

“Wrong side,” I replied, as detached as she was. I was still waiting for the reaction. 

“Aha,” she let go of my chin. “And who is he?”

“James.” Her jaw dropped slightly, lips forming a perfect O.

“I did wonder,” she commented finally. “I’ll still kill him if he hurts you, Eve, assassin or no.”

“Oh grand, Aunt Pepper,” I said drily. “Just what I wanted to hear.” I wasn’t thrilled that either of them had found out - James and I had counted on keeping our little secret for at least another few days. And Pepper was obviously not happy with my choice of boyfriend. Tough. James was mine and I intended to keep him.

Natasha put her arms around my middle. “I think you’re good for each other. It’s about damn time.”

“About time?”

“Jasha has been mooning over you for weeks now,” she said, “I haven’t been able to beat him for years.”

I giggled. “Glad to be of some help.”

“So


End file.
